October 22, 2024 • 36 mins
Rowena Duncum talks to PM Christopher Luxon, Tracy Brown, Kara Biggs, Laura Koot, and Angus Gidley-Baird.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie Mgue. Thanks to Fred You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Play.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Where's a very good afternoon, New Zealand and welcome in
to the Country. My name is Rowena Duncan and for
Jamie mackay, feels like I am playing with madness some
days here in Dunedin. Michelle Watt, I'm going to put
(00:35):
her out there Executive producer, choosing Iron Maiden as the
musical theme for today. So we are going to rock
our way through until one o'clock. A lot to cover
between now and then. We've got Tracy Brown coming up
very shortly. Darien Z Cheer elect they held their AGM yesterday,
will update who has made it onto the dairyen Z board.
We're continuing our spotlight on wall this week. The GM
(00:58):
of Cara Biggs of registered charity campaign for will m
Z will join us just to update how their work
is impacting the industry. We are going to be chatting
to one of the most impressive Southern gals around, Laura Coat,
juggling two businesses, to children, to houses and also all
well beaten part of the Farmstrong Supporters Network. If you
(01:19):
want to something done, ask a busy person to do it.
Laura is your girl for that. Looking forward to catching
up with her. And also we're going to be looking
at the Australian beef and sheep markets. Yeah, they seem
to be snookering us a wee bit in the red
meat sector, plying in the same markets as us putting
out a lot of animals out there. We're going to
get to the bottom of it with Rabobank Senior animal
(01:40):
protein analyst Angus Goodly Baird. But first of all, to
kick us off on the country today, let's head to
the beehive the country. Well Wednesdays here on the Country
mean one thing. Prime Minister Christopher Luxen joins us, Hello,
how are you very well? Thank you great to be
chatting with you again.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
To reach out with you.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Do you reckon Jamie's ever coming back?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I don't know. He seems to be having an amazing
time in New York and how can blame him? What
a city.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
It's a great city, but it's been interesting. We make
it back eventually, m to give our whole thing up
and sort of look up there.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Permanently and nice, but a man of leisure.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah exactly, but they're doing great.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
Good to be with you.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Thank you. Now, hey Arimay reform. This has been quite
topical this week, so it's great we've got you on
the show today.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
What's the latest, Well, look, I mean what we're doing
this week is we're amending our RMA and we're called
RNA two Bill, which is to restrict the council's ability
to notify fresh water plans. Essentially, what we've said to
everybody is that we're a new government. We've heard about farmers.
We want sensible and practical fresh water rules. Farmers deserve
a lot of certainty about how to run their businesses.
And what we've signaled you actually in those first weeks
(02:48):
of our government was we're going to be changing these
freshwater rules, so what's called a National Policy Statement on
fresh Water. So councils were there a bit silly to
carry on with the old regime, making people go through
a whole bunch of process, some paperwork and bureaucracy that's
actually often going to be replaced by a new law.
So that was what we have advised councils to do
since the beginning of the year. Please don't know you've
(03:09):
got extra time. You don't need to worry about doing this.
At this point in time. The Tigo Regional councils wanting
to persist with the labor freshwater plans and rules, and
what we're doing is we're legislating from Parliament to say, hey, listen,
there's no need for that because essentially we don't want
farmers and we don't need council staff were wasting time
(03:30):
with each other talking about fresh water plans under an
old gray jam. They's going to be replaced on this
new government. So that's we've just been pragmatic, efficient and
making sure we're not You don't want people farming not
doing paperwork or something that's going to be completely replaced
next year anyway, So that's.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
What we're doing there.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
So I think that's just saying, look, you know, we're
backing farmers. We want them to we want sensible, pragmatic,
practical freshwater plans and rules. We're working on new part
new legislation for that and new guidance for that. But
in the intervening period, we don't need counselors mucking people
around and wasting their time.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Last week I had one of the prime Minister's former
Chief Science Advisors, doctor John Roach, on the show. There's
no one in that role at the moment. How's the
hunt going for a new Chief Science Advisor?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Yeah, well, look, I mean if you just take a
step back and think about the five things we have
to do to make this country more successful, wealthier and
more productive. One of the big ones is we've got
to embrace more science, technology and innovation. And if you
think about in the agriculture space, you know, introducing the
gene tech legislation with Judith Collins adopt Australian sort of system.
(04:34):
You know, that's great that we can get low RDE
grass emissions, for example. It's great that we can then
grow a lot of horticultural products using gene editing. And
you know, all that's moved on a lot from what
it was, say twenty thirty years ago when this last
discussion happened in that space, and forty plus countries have
adopted you know, gene tech sort of legislation to enable
(04:56):
to improve the productivity they're farming. You think about methane inhibitor,
as you think about ecoponds, all of those kinds of innovations.
You know, that's where we've got to be embracing more technology.
You think about Holter what it's doing with land use.
There's a heap of LCS work. There's a heap of
stuff going on at science, science base and ad sector
that we need to continue to invest in to continue
(05:17):
to make us even better. So we're deeply, deeply excited
by the possibility of embracing more science technology innovation. But
I've asked Peter Goutman, Sir Peter Goutman, who is John
Key's Chief Science Advisor, to do a review for Judith
Comins and myself at the total science system, like how
do we spend our R and D money. We do
R and D in universities, we do some of it
(05:38):
in institutes, we do some of it in businesses. How
do we get that more joined up and actually commercialized.
So as a consequence, I wanted to start via rather
than just going through the process of appointing another chief
promises Chief Science Advisor. We'll look at all of that
once we've done the view of the science sector and system.
But you know, if you think about how we add
value to New Zealand's products and services, how we get
(05:59):
away from commodities, and if you think about the great
job we've done so on dairy, but with respect to wool,
you know, there actually has been very little innovation or
application of science and technology into that sector and as
a result, you know, we get bottom bottom prices because
of and commodity prices because of it. So we're very,
very committed to know that that's an area that we
(06:19):
as one of the five things that will make New
Zealand lafia. But I want to review of that science
sector before I worry about who's a chief science advisor.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Any timeframe around that review buying Sir Peter Gluckman.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
He's already completed one part of it and that's been
considered by Cabinet over the course of this quarter, so
we'll be a bit clearer by the end of the year.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Now, what an incredible three days of sport over the weekend.
I know you were at the Auckland if C game.
I had friends who were there as well. Something like
New Zealand really hasn't seen, especially in my lifetime.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
It was unbelievable, Like the White firms won the T
twenty and it was great.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
I've got to lead.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
A text from Anthony Alban Eezy congratulating us on that
you had the three pece of the America's Cup. You
had the Black Caps win a Test in India the
first time in.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Thirty six years.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
You had the paddle Ferns, which is you do canoo
polo against I think it was against Spain, and won
the World Cup in China. Liam Lawson, I think, is
the guy to watch a f one which I wasn't
into through the Netflix series, got into big time. But
you know, to show up, finish, qualify in the back
position and I think nineteen for twentieth and then finished ninth,
get into the points and the Grand Prix was amazing. Yeah,
(07:26):
the Silver Funds, I'd been to a netball game and
with them they played in the UK not that long ago,
last month, but you know, Silver Firn's beat Australia, which
is always hard in netball. You had FC when their
first game too nel against Brisbane Raw and it was
amazing atmosphere sold out twenty five thousand people and amazing
to be honest, rowand the number of kids that were
in the stadium, very very young crowd. And you had
(07:48):
hated while win the World Triathon Series. And then most
importantly you had the Times Valley Swamp Fox was won
the mes Cups so only against mith Canerbury. So so yeah,
Illin all it was it was it was an amazing
weekend for support. I don't think anything we've seen for
some time or likely to see for sometimes now. It
was absolutely brilliant, Absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
The question does remain though, what are you going to
do to try and bring this America's Cup home?
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Yeah, well, the discussion on where it is cup is
how is ultimately a decision for Team New Zealand, right
and you've seen that in the last conversations and negotiations
as well. The Government's really open to a discussion, no
doubt about it, up for having a conversation with Tim
Zealand about it. But you just also got to acknowledge
it's pretty difficult economic times and if you're going to
go spend last time, I think the government offered one
(08:33):
hundred million dollars and it wasn't enough in any funding
on things like that, and comes at the expense of
not being able to spend money on hospitals and you know,
you know, we're trying to build a great hospital in
and needing for one point nine billion and so that
one hundred million dollars or more likely now would be
something's got a way up as to what the alternative
spin would be. So but look, I mean what we
(08:54):
want to see as will of a conversation. I want
to make a decision pretty quickly because I just don't
want to drag on conversation as we've seen dragged on before.
You saw the last time a government made an effort
it clearly wasn't a naugh Team New Zealand. It's a
global event. There'll be lots of places that want to
be able to host it, and well, you know, as
I said, we'll have a conversation, but we've also in
(09:15):
serious times. I think the Zealand is going to say, well,
do you want to send hundred million dollars doing that
or do you want to invest in some of our
core public services.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
You make it a very unfair argument when you mentioned
hospitals and roads and the toss up with which one
you go with here, that's very unfair, Christopher.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Unfortunately, when you've got one hundred billion dollars worth of
debt and thanks for the last lot, and you know
that now means we've got almost a ten billion dollar
interests billd just on the debt and you've gone from
five billion of debt to one hundred billion of debt.
That's the reality that I have to live with every day.
And that's why I keep saying I'm trying to bring
financial discipline back to Wellington because you know, there's lots
of nice to do. We'd love to do, you know, honestly,
(09:55):
I'd love to be able to spend money and invest
in lots of different ways. But what we've inherited hell
of a mess. And what we're doing is straight and
get out and sorting it out. And I hope people
get a sense of that. I know it's still tough,
but you know, when you see inflation get backed into
the band of two point two percent, when you've seen
an interest rate cuts starts now take on downward track,
which has been great. We've got our banking inquiry actually
(10:15):
kicking off today around rural banking, which will be quite something.
You know then now as our focus has to be
on growth and jobs, you know, as we move from
inflation and interest rates. So you know, that's just the
reality that you know, we are in financially for New Zealand.
So it's just being really clear that if we are
going to support something of that, we've just got to
make sure it's got big economic benefits for us.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You'll get to play Father Christmas one day. I reckon
Prime Minister Christopher Luxe and appreciate your time as always.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Go well, yes, thank you, having great to be with you,
great to be.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
With you as well. Yeah, before the end of the
our No More Sports chat, there's been so much good
sport we've covered it off as well, but we are
going to cover off yesterday's age year with Deary and
z who took out those director slots. I'm going to
tell you where you can find New Zealand's best sausage.
We're going to look at well, we are going to
(11:04):
look at someone who's juggling a lot in her life
and still achieving amazing things. And we're going to look
at why the Australians are snooll still trying to snooker
us a bit on the red meat front. All here
on the country. Wow, Wow, we are off the mighty
(11:25):
Mulu country now here on the country. Tracy Brown joins
me chair Elitt for Dairy and Zed. Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Roight.
Thanks for having me, Mike Pleasure. A huge day for
dairy in zed yesterday your AGM, the announcement of who
was going to join the board of Dairy and Z.
How did it all go down?
Speaker 6 (11:44):
It went really well.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
We had a good number of funers come along to
the HN and we had some really good questions and discussion.
All the resolutions that were put out in the writing
pets were passed. Professor gran Edwards from Lincoln University, he
came and she had some thoughts with us around the
importance of the fully functioning R and Z framework going forward,
and we look forward to some announcements coming from the
(12:07):
government on how that might look for the future. And
we also spent some time to celebrate the fabulous contribution
Jim's made to the sector of our outgoing to here.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Jim vander Pold has done so much for darien Z.
It has been a really challenging time trying to fit
three nominations into two director slants when you've had some
amazing candidates. Richard McIntyre and doctor Jacqueline Rowis will join
the darien Z board.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Now that's correct, and all the candidates were excellent. We're
very lucky to have such high standard of people go
into the election process, and I just really want to
congratulate everyone that took place and congratulating and welcome Duck
them back onto the board and rich of the course,
onto the board of the new director.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
What are the priorities for darien Z now? What are
you working towards?
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Well, we're spending time really connecting of farmers, ensuring that
we're listening, rolling out a whole new range of events.
We're going extensions really differently, so and that's an iterative process.
We want to check in as we go along that
we're getting that right and that we're setting them up
with some solutions for the future. Are we spending some
(13:17):
time connecting with partners and stakeholders And I've already done
quite a bit of that during the transition with Jim,
but there's a lot more of that to do. Of course,
a big priority around supporting our chief executive and the
leadership team to really embed our new strategy. We've had
a big be set around that in the last sort
of eight months or so, and that's that's the main
priority now, is just getting that implemented. And then you know, personally,
(13:41):
I'll be thinking about how we focus on our board
going new board going forward. We've of course got David
Hunt to consumed last night and the AGM. He is
our new independent directors joinning, so we've got Home and
Richard as new directors. So just thinking about how we'll
operate going forward as our new board.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Now, you're, as I mentioned at the start, our chair.
What's the process now around getting a permanent chair?
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Yes, so the board, now that's the first item on
our agenda really posts the AGM, the board decides who
the chair will be. We call for nominations from the
board members and we run a process that usually takes
sort of about ten days maybe two weeks, and all
going well, the outcome of that will be announced sort
of the end of the monthly Snovemberges.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
You're a dairy farmer in your own right, six hundred
and eighty cows near Matamata. How's this season going for you?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Pretty good. We've had some late cold weather which has
slowed the grass growth down a bit, but the mating's
going well so far, and good news of late we've
bit of a lift and payouts certainly brightened things up
a bit. So yeah, we're feeling pretty positive at the moment.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Tracy Brown, Chair elect for darien Z. Always a pleasure
to catch up with you on the country. Go well
and all the best with the next steps for the
darien Z board.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
Thank you so much, RO appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Thanks Tracy. Just updating. Our fire crews have fully extinguished
a blaze at Napier's Ravenstown fertilizer factory. State Highway One
was briefly closed at Clive while debris was removed. Ravenstown
Chief executive Mike Whitti says no one was hurt and
neighboring buildings weren't damaged. Right up next to we are
turning our spotlight, turning our attention to wool. Curra Bigs.
(15:22):
The GM for Campaign for Wool in z joins me
next on the country.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
I left alone Wool Week with FMG because where there's
a wool, there is away.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It is Woolweek here on the country. Joining me now
is the GM for Campaign for Wool end Zed Kara Bigs.
Good afternoon, Cara. The Campaign for Wool obviously aims to
promote and educate the world, and in particular your organization
here in New Zealand about the wonders of the woolfire.
But tell me a bit about your work.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Yeah, we're a registered charity and we were set up yeah,
over ten years ago now, so we've been around for
a week while we work really for our strong will growers,
and I guess we've got three key jobs to do.
The first ones around advocating for our growers to help
drive better value sort of at farm gate. The other
ones around promotion that sort of as you said, that
(16:21):
awareness and benefits of wool fiber itself out to consumers.
But the third piece is that's a big one that
we're working on at the moment, and that's around education
and expanding our footprint into educating New Zealand as young
New Zealanders about wool fiber, particularly in that kind of
architecture and product design space. So yeah, I mean people
(16:43):
might know about woolen Schools. That's been around for a
while twenty fifteen I think that was set up. But
this year we've expanded into early childhood. We've increased our
footprints and primary schools. We've gone out to Totiary, We've
got a tertiory pilot program called will Dynamics that we've
launched and The next year is just as big with
(17:03):
an increase into secondary schools and into workforce development as well.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So it's all go, yeah, fantastic because there are a
lot of households in which will won't be discussed. It
won't be a topic of conversation around the dinner table.
Education early it's really important so people grow up knowing
about well, what kind of messaging are you putting into
early childhood centers?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah, you did, right, ro. You know, there's a lot
of awareness that needs to happen around wool. You know,
people have grown up with plastics, so it's really our
job to make sure that kids and their parents understand
that wall's a natural fiber, that it's renewable, that it's biodegradable,
unlike its plastic kind of counterparts. So there's a whole
(17:47):
lot of work going on around replacing plastics with wool
solutions and just digging into I was at the Gismond
show last week with Wise Wool actually who replacing plastic
form and furniture with wool stuffing. You know Lanco for example,
replacing plastic filters with with wall filters. All of that
(18:10):
kind of stuff is what we want kids to kind
of learn about and grow up with so that when
they get into their tertiary education and workforce development that
they're actually thinking about creating new products with wool. Because
it's when they turn into adults that all of that
learning right back from early childhood is going to come
into play. So that's our messaging there. Learn about wool,
(18:33):
learn to love it, learn what it does, and learn
its benefits.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
We had some amazing schools exhibiting at field Days with
projects around wolf. There was St. Peter's College. I are
in a college for their wool pod as well. Is
that kind of what you're aiming for is taking people
on the journey with you and hoping to inspire them
to innovate as well.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
One hundred percent. And that's what this launch into secondary
school is all about. The work that thoseudents did. I mean,
that is high level stuff, that's really clever thinking, and
we want to really start to nurture that thing king
with these with these kids as they grow up. That
I own a college, you know, winning that People's Choice
Award with their wall Study pod, it's really innovative.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, congratulations to Phoebe Butler and Maddie Foot for that.
I went and sat in it at field days and
I'm like, actually in the office, that would be really
really cool. Sometimes. Campaign for wool obviously dates back to
twenty ten. His Majesty King Charles, when he was Prince
of Wales was instrumental in setting it up. You've also
(19:35):
managed to attract some really high profile ambassadors here in
New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
We certainly have, I mean the most recent one with
Sam Neil earlier this year. He's so down to earth
and he is incredibly focused on growers. He's got a
huge following, so whenever he posts something about wool on
social media, for example, it goes out to like six
hundred and seven the thousand people or something. So he's
(20:02):
hugely instrumental in the work that we're doing in the promotional.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
Space next year.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
But we've also got other ambassadors like Liz Mitchell. She's
a sort of self designated wool revolutionist and she's doing
amazing work not only in fashion design, which is where
her background is, but also in developing this wool revolution
and the sort of arts and crafts and homework space
as well. Stephen McDougall, so he's an architect based down
(20:29):
in Wellington with Studio Pacific, and he's an ambassador of ours.
We do a lot of work with him in the
architecture space, and we will be working with him more
as we go into workforce development next year for CPD
Continued Professional Development Points for Architects.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Kara, one thing I've noticed is now I'm a lot
more aware of wool when I go to rural events.
If I'm am seeing or even just attending them, I
find myself looking around taking note of who is wearing
wool as part of their attire. You're having a huge
influence on me.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, yeah, well we're hoping to for sure. We certainly
do try to keep people on their toes when they
walk up to us at events and they might be
wearing a synthetic jacket or something, and we sort of say, oh,
maybe that could be New Zealand Strong Will.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Kara bugs GM for Campaign for Wool in ZET really
appreciate your time on WILL Week. Go well and good
luck with the advocacy, education and promotion work for WILL
in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Thanks so much, Bro.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Thanks Kara. Right up next to where you can find
New Zealand's best sausage. Michelle Watson for rural news and
sports news anyway twenty four away from one you are
with the country. His executive producer Michelle Watt with the
Rural News, What.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
The Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower Bread, visit steel for dot co
dot Inzet for your local stockist.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
And you were talking about the best sausage in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Row, where is it?
Speaker 7 (22:01):
It's an Auckland.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Have you been to this butchery? Westmath? No, I haven't
loved good Auckland sausage though, which kind was it?
Speaker 8 (22:09):
Lake sausage?
Speaker 7 (22:10):
Great?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Great stuff? What else is happening in rural news?
Speaker 7 (22:14):
So before I got the giggles there, actually this is
something not to giggle out. There's some heavy rain warnings
and when warnings coming through for the south Isron specially
the West and mid Canterbury and down south here, so
just make sure you keep an eye on those warnings
over the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Absolutely the last thing anyone needs that is your rural news.
He has sports sport.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
We're the AFCO Kiwi to the bone since nineteen.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Oh four in sport, New Zealand Olympic Committee Boss Nicky
Nickel excepts they're now preparing for a make do Commonwealth
Games in Glasgow. She sees gratitudes required for the fact
an event is occurring, even if fifteen sports are taking
a breather and the Australian netballers are at a loss
to explain their run of seven defeats in New Zealand.
The World champions faced the second game of the Constellation
(22:57):
Cup to night in Auckland after a fourteen gold trunks
by the hosts and the Wellington OK Now we're heading
to Australia. Shortly here on the Country, Angus Gidley bed
out of the Rabobank Sydney office, but up next to
we are heading south to catch up with Southern girl
Laura Coat. Here on the Country. Monthly, here on the
(23:19):
Country we catch up with a farm strong farmer. Today
we're heading to the southern end of Lake Wakatapu, Kingston.
There we find one of the most amazing Southern girls
I have ever had the pleasure of chatting to real
country and feel like foundation fame. Mum of two. Laura
Coat joins me, Good afternoon.
Speaker 8 (23:37):
Good and it's so good to chat with you. Thanks
for having me on.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Oh my absolute pleasure. You make me exhausted just thinking
about all of the hats you wear. But you're someone
who is an amazing, amazing ambassador in rural New Zealand.
You're also part of the farm Strong Supporter network, which
helps promote messages and resources. Laura, what drew you to
Farm's Wrong? I.
Speaker 8 (24:01):
Like many people, have been through some pretty challenging times,
both very recently and you know, throughout my thirty something
years over the age. But I have been really proactive
and getting on top of my mental health. I've been
really proactive and developing confidence and who I am and
(24:24):
my abilities and has been steadfast and creating a life
that I'm really really proud of. And that's not easy,
and it hasn't been easy, but it's been the most
meaningful work that I've done. And so with all the
work that I do at Real Country, with the confidence
building workshops, the work that I do with the Feel
Up Foundation, you know, building really well rounded, confident woman
(24:49):
for our egg sector, It's just something that's really important
to me. And everyone has their own approaches to how
they proactively, you know, manage their mental health. But farm Strong,
you know, they're messaging around their five ways to wellness,
with connecting, with giving, you know, taking time to take
notice of things, continually, being a lifelong learner, and being active.
(25:13):
I personally connect really personally with all of those five things.
So it was a really good fit and it's been
a great thing to be part of because the other
ambassadors see things similar to me, and we just get
out there and we get stuff done, which is what
I love.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah. Absolutely, And speaking of getting stuff done, you've had
a bit of a challenging time this year, so you
decided to do something about it.
Speaker 8 (25:38):
Yeah, I feel like COVID my shit getting destroyed a
couple of years ago. I sort of thought I'd be
in for a bit of a cruisier year, but I've
got to be honest. You nailed it on the head
when you introduce me juggling everything, two businesses, two children,
and most recently two houses because we've been building us
(26:00):
home and moving into it. It's been a really challenging
time personally for me in the last couple of months.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
And I.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
Sat down one day to do some work a couple
of weeks ago, and I'm really efficient when I've got
my head down and bum up and get stuff done.
But because I was so overwhelmed, I spent three hours
staring at a computer screen and achieved very little and
really wasn't able to get anything done. And I had
to sit myself back and go, why I've got all
(26:31):
the time in the world right now, my kids are
being looked after. I need to get this stuff done.
My to do list is insane. Why can't I focus?
Why can't I get this done? Why can't I be productive?
And I was under a lot of pressure. I was
very overwhelmed. I was falling back on patterns where I'd
bite my nails because you know, dealing with it all.
(26:54):
And I had to go, right, you're not a great place.
What are you going to do about it? And for me,
I like to give. Giving to others and doing things
for my community makes me feel really good about myself.
And even though you would think that it's adding more
to my list and more things to do, I understood
(27:16):
a long time ago that the to do list never
ends and that to do list never gets any smaller.
And what I think is going to help take the
pressure off is picking things off on my to do list,
But that actually doesn't work for me. What actually works
for me is giving to others, connecting with others, getting
really active, learning a new skill. And these are all
(27:40):
Armstrongs five ways to wellness. So I'm not going to
sit around and just continue to be overwhelmed and under pressure.
I decided to put on a free day the local
farmers in the community where they could come have a barbecue,
shoot some clays, throw some axes, have a yarn. Because
it's been it's in a tough spring for all in
(28:01):
our community.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
To be fair, Yeah, yeah, as some of the stories
I've heard from people have kind of highlighted it, but
unless you're actually living it, you don't get a real
sense of that. So how did the shoot and shout
day go?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Laura?
Speaker 8 (28:15):
Which was actually really quiet because it was a beautiful
day yesterday, so everywhere and all the farms around the district,
the tractors would have been going, the drench guns would
have been going, the tailing gangs will be out. You know,
it would have been a really, really busy day. But
I had a great day. My team had a great day.
(28:35):
The handful of farmers that turned up had an absolute ball.
I mean, I had fantastic mate given to me by
the local Ethel Hunt Club and we had some good
yarns and it was great to actually personally connect with
Matt Patterson, who's a fellow Farmstrong ambassador based in Lumsdon.
(28:55):
We've messaged a lot on social media, so he made
the effort to come up and it was amazing. But
I understand farmers are busy and there is time pressure
to get caddocks worked up, to get feed in the ground,
to get the animals sorted. So I certainly didn't take
a sense and I still had a great time, so
that was cooled.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Murphy's law though on the weather, and I know, chatting
to our UK correspondent earlier in the week, Tom Martin,
he's off to Corsica. I think it was a cypress
for two days. His wife's over there working and he
said he feels really guilty because they've had such a
wet autumn and the time he's scheduled to go away
four clear days and I need to be on the tractor,
(29:36):
but I also need a wee break. So yeah, it's
always that balancing act. Laura Coat out of Real Country
and Fairlight Foundation, thank you so much for your time
on the Country today. It's always great to chat to
the farmstrong ambassadors and find out how things are going
and your world. Appreciate your time.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
That's brilliant. Until next time you look after your South Rouenna.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You two getting to Australia. Now on the country there
we find Angus Kidley Beard Rabobanks, Senior analyst for Animal Protein.
You also produced the podcast for the Ravo research team. Angus,
is there anything you can't do?
Speaker 2 (30:13):
There's plenty I can't.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Well, it's great to be chatting with you. Let's look
at the Australian animal protein and the wool markets. First
of all, how are Australian beef prices tracking and what
are the key markets for you?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, no, Australian beef prices. They've recovered. Australian livestock in general,
both our sheet market and our cattle market and suffering
quite a large drop in prices and a lot of
confidence to it, to be honest, in the market last
year and we saw quite a dramatic drop in prices
across the board. Since then they've started to recover. A
lot of that was driven by a sentiment producer centiment
(30:49):
in the market about potentially drier seasons ahead. We've seen
rain people are more confident now and that's provided a
bit more of a flaw in the market. Plus, like you,
we've seen the influence of US beef market having an
impact on prices as well. So Australian cattle prices are
up there. They're still sort of tracking a little bit
below our five year average, but you know, we've got
(31:10):
a bear in minded that five year averages included three
record years of prices, so they're still there's still very
good prices, but as I said, tracking along reasonably flat
at the moment, we've got fetus years that's sort of
a three hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty
kilo animal going to a feed lot's trading at about
(31:31):
three dollars fifty. Australian and cow prices are about two
dollars seventy three for slaughter cows. Now we've seen a
much bigger rise in those cow prices, as I said,
driven by that US market and that demand to lane trimmings,
and you'd see that in the in the New Zealand
cattle prices as well. Whereas our younger stock and replacement
stock and some of those feeders stocks, they've only seen
a fifty seven percent increase a year on year. So
(31:52):
there's there's a lot of cattle in Australia at the
moment that producer demand is just not super urgent and strong.
That's driven young cattle that we are starting to see
the impact of the US market on our cow prices
and finished cattle prices.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Yeah, and you're also sending a lot of beef to
New Zealand. Over the three months period from July to September,
nearly two thousand tons of Australian beef, the most since
twenty ten. Stop sending it here.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Oh, look, if you're happy to take it, We're happy
to send it. We've got plenty around at the moment.
I was just sitting at export numbers and yeah, we've
got export volumes at the moment that are getting right
up there in terms of record volumes for US. The
benchmark we look at is twenty fourteen fifteen. They were
our last years where we saw massive production in Australia.
It was a huge liquidation because of drought. But we're
(32:42):
in a very different seasonal situation at the moment but
producing up near those volumes again. And because there's been
a slight contraction and domestic consumption, we're sending more into
those export markets. So yeah, I'm not surprised we've tried
to sneak a little bit more into New Zealand, but
we're also sending a have a lot to do other
countries as well. Volumes to the US are up huge amounts.
(33:08):
US is making up our biggest export market at the moment.
It's taking about twenty percent of our exports. Japan's taking
about twenty percent, and we're seeing volumes of Japan are
up as well. South Korea is reasonably steady. It takes
about fifteen China volumes are down, so we've lower volumes
of beef going into China just because of the weaker
(33:31):
conditions in that market at the moment.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, exactly what we're seeing here in New Zealand as well.
Like we used to just compete against you on the
rugby field, now we're competing against you and our export
markets and I don't like it. That was the beef.
Let's look at the sheep meat as well. Production out
of Australia was one of the key factors that lead
to New Zealand having lower sheep meat prices across recent
(33:54):
seasons as well. So you've really snooked us a wee
bit there. What's the outlook for Australian sheep meets a
production for the year aheat.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Yeah, it does feel a little bit that we can't
get our act together on the rugby field, so we'll
just swamp you with red meat. But yeah, it's a
similar story for sheep in the sense that it went
through that sort of seasonal low or sicklic low last year.
It's recovered again. But we've seen some massive volumes of
lamb and that's what you would be feeling in New
(34:23):
Zealand with the lower prices over there. The volume of
lamb that we've seen out of Australia this year New
I mean last year was a record. This year is
over and above that again, so huge volumes of lamb
through the first six months of this year. But interestingly
they're looking at the Lambslord of the weekly lambslad from
about July onwards, so we were tracking around five hundred
(34:44):
thousand head a week in the first six months of
the year. There are a couple of dips with holidays
et cetera. But since about July that numbers really edged
off and we're now coming back down to about three
hundred and fifty thousand head a week. There were some
big questions because we've we had drier conditions last year,
we saw people offload a few sheep. It also meant
conception rates and lambing rates have been a bit poorer,
(35:07):
particularly in some of our Victorian and Southern dates, and
we had high sheep sort or we've had high sheep
sort of for effectively the last eight a month. So
there was a big question mark as to what this
new season crop of lambs was going to look like,
whether or not we would still have the same volume
in the system, or whether and whether or not they
were going to be finished at the same time, or
whether we're going to see a reduction in that. And
(35:29):
we're actually starting to see quite a significant reduction in
our lamb sorder, which would suggest that it's not just
a one or two week delay because seasons are poor
and we haven't been our to finish lambs in time,
but suggesting that our lamb crop this year is going
to be well. This season is going to be quite
a bit down on what it was last year. Probably
good news year.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Yeah, we'll take it. Angus Gadley Baird Rubberbank, Senior analyst
for Animal protein. Appreciate your time is always but yeah,
if you could just keep your beef and your sheep
meat out of News England, that would be great on
behalf of our nations. Farmers.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
No, well, anything we can do right to try and
correct the rugby bellups.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Thanks so much for your time, Go well, Jeer. Thanks
and I see you in Farmers Weekly. Will We're saying
they're not supplying Australian beef, but I'm pretty sure I've
seen some of their shops flop me a text five
double O nine. Catch you had tomorrow, catch you all
the latest from the land.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
It's The Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent,
You're specialist in John Deere machinery.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie Mgue. Thanks to Fred You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Play.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Where's a very good afternoon, New Zealand and welcome in
to the Country. My name is Rowena Duncan and for
Jamie mackay, feels like I am playing with madness some
days here in Dunedin. Michelle Watt, I'm going to put
(00:35):
her out there Executive producer, choosing Iron Maiden as the
musical theme for today. So we are going to rock
our way through until one o'clock. A lot to cover
between now and then. We've got Tracy Brown coming up
very shortly. Darien Z Cheer elect they held their AGM yesterday,
will update who has made it onto the dairyen Z board.
We're continuing our spotlight on wall this week. The GM
(00:58):
of Cara Biggs of registered charity campaign for will m
Z will join us just to update how their work
is impacting the industry. We are going to be chatting
to one of the most impressive Southern gals around, Laura Coat,
juggling two businesses, to children, to houses and also all
well beaten part of the Farmstrong Supporters Network. If you
(01:19):
want to something done, ask a busy person to do it.
Laura is your girl for that. Looking forward to catching
up with her. And also we're going to be looking
at the Australian beef and sheep markets. Yeah, they seem
to be snookering us a wee bit in the red
meat sector, plying in the same markets as us putting
out a lot of animals out there. We're going to
get to the bottom of it with Rabobank Senior animal
(01:40):
protein analyst Angus Goodly Baird. But first of all, to
kick us off on the country today, let's head to
the beehive the country. Well Wednesdays here on the Country
mean one thing. Prime Minister Christopher Luxen joins us, Hello,
how are you very well? Thank you great to be
chatting with you again.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
To reach out with you.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Do you reckon Jamie's ever coming back?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I don't know. He seems to be having an amazing
time in New York and how can blame him? What
a city.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
It's a great city, but it's been interesting. We make
it back eventually, m to give our whole thing up
and sort of look up there.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Permanently and nice, but a man of leisure.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah exactly, but they're doing great.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
Good to be with you.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Thank you. Now, hey Arimay reform. This has been quite
topical this week, so it's great we've got you on
the show today.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
What's the latest, Well, look, I mean what we're doing
this week is we're amending our RMA and we're called
RNA two Bill, which is to restrict the council's ability
to notify fresh water plans. Essentially, what we've said to
everybody is that we're a new government. We've heard about farmers.
We want sensible and practical fresh water rules. Farmers deserve
a lot of certainty about how to run their businesses.
And what we've signaled you actually in those first weeks
(02:48):
of our government was we're going to be changing these
freshwater rules, so what's called a National Policy Statement on
fresh Water. So councils were there a bit silly to
carry on with the old regime, making people go through
a whole bunch of process, some paperwork and bureaucracy that's
actually often going to be replaced by a new law.
So that was what we have advised councils to do
since the beginning of the year. Please don't know you've
(03:09):
got extra time. You don't need to worry about doing this.
At this point in time. The Tigo Regional councils wanting
to persist with the labor freshwater plans and rules, and
what we're doing is we're legislating from Parliament to say, hey, listen,
there's no need for that because essentially we don't want
farmers and we don't need council staff were wasting time
(03:30):
with each other talking about fresh water plans under an
old gray jam. They's going to be replaced on this
new government. So that's we've just been pragmatic, efficient and
making sure we're not You don't want people farming not
doing paperwork or something that's going to be completely replaced
next year anyway, So that's.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
What we're doing there.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
So I think that's just saying, look, you know, we're
backing farmers. We want them to we want sensible, pragmatic,
practical freshwater plans and rules. We're working on new part
new legislation for that and new guidance for that. But
in the intervening period, we don't need counselors mucking people
around and wasting their time.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Last week I had one of the prime Minister's former
Chief Science Advisors, doctor John Roach, on the show. There's
no one in that role at the moment. How's the
hunt going for a new Chief Science Advisor?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Yeah, well, look, I mean if you just take a
step back and think about the five things we have
to do to make this country more successful, wealthier and
more productive. One of the big ones is we've got
to embrace more science, technology and innovation. And if you
think about in the agriculture space, you know, introducing the
gene tech legislation with Judith Collins adopt Australian sort of system.
(04:34):
You know, that's great that we can get low RDE
grass emissions, for example. It's great that we can then
grow a lot of horticultural products using gene editing. And
you know, all that's moved on a lot from what
it was, say twenty thirty years ago when this last
discussion happened in that space, and forty plus countries have
adopted you know, gene tech sort of legislation to enable
(04:56):
to improve the productivity they're farming. You think about methane inhibitor,
as you think about ecoponds, all of those kinds of innovations.
You know, that's where we've got to be embracing more technology.
You think about Holter what it's doing with land use.
There's a heap of LCS work. There's a heap of
stuff going on at science, science base and ad sector
that we need to continue to invest in to continue
(05:17):
to make us even better. So we're deeply, deeply excited
by the possibility of embracing more science technology innovation. But
I've asked Peter Goutman, Sir Peter Goutman, who is John
Key's Chief Science Advisor, to do a review for Judith
Comins and myself at the total science system, like how
do we spend our R and D money. We do
R and D in universities, we do some of it
(05:38):
in institutes, we do some of it in businesses. How
do we get that more joined up and actually commercialized.
So as a consequence, I wanted to start via rather
than just going through the process of appointing another chief
promises Chief Science Advisor. We'll look at all of that
once we've done the view of the science sector and system.
But you know, if you think about how we add
value to New Zealand's products and services, how we get
(05:59):
away from commodities, and if you think about the great
job we've done so on dairy, but with respect to wool,
you know, there actually has been very little innovation or
application of science and technology into that sector and as
a result, you know, we get bottom bottom prices because
of and commodity prices because of it. So we're very,
very committed to know that that's an area that we
(06:19):
as one of the five things that will make New
Zealand lafia. But I want to review of that science
sector before I worry about who's a chief science advisor.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Any timeframe around that review buying Sir Peter Gluckman.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
He's already completed one part of it and that's been
considered by Cabinet over the course of this quarter, so
we'll be a bit clearer by the end of the year.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Now, what an incredible three days of sport over the weekend.
I know you were at the Auckland if C game.
I had friends who were there as well. Something like
New Zealand really hasn't seen, especially in my lifetime.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
It was unbelievable, Like the White firms won the T
twenty and it was great.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
I've got to lead.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
A text from Anthony Alban Eezy congratulating us on that
you had the three pece of the America's Cup. You
had the Black Caps win a Test in India the
first time in.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Thirty six years.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
You had the paddle Ferns, which is you do canoo
polo against I think it was against Spain, and won
the World Cup in China. Liam Lawson, I think, is
the guy to watch a f one which I wasn't
into through the Netflix series, got into big time. But
you know, to show up, finish, qualify in the back
position and I think nineteen for twentieth and then finished ninth,
get into the points and the Grand Prix was amazing. Yeah,
(07:26):
the Silver Funds, I'd been to a netball game and
with them they played in the UK not that long ago,
last month, but you know, Silver Firn's beat Australia, which
is always hard in netball. You had FC when their
first game too nel against Brisbane Raw and it was
amazing atmosphere sold out twenty five thousand people and amazing
to be honest, rowand the number of kids that were
in the stadium, very very young crowd. And you had
(07:48):
hated while win the World Triathon Series. And then most
importantly you had the Times Valley Swamp Fox was won
the mes Cups so only against mith Canerbury. So so yeah,
Illin all it was it was it was an amazing
weekend for support. I don't think anything we've seen for
some time or likely to see for sometimes now. It
was absolutely brilliant, Absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
The question does remain though, what are you going to
do to try and bring this America's Cup home?
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Yeah, well, the discussion on where it is cup is
how is ultimately a decision for Team New Zealand, right
and you've seen that in the last conversations and negotiations
as well. The Government's really open to a discussion, no
doubt about it, up for having a conversation with Tim
Zealand about it. But you just also got to acknowledge
it's pretty difficult economic times and if you're going to
go spend last time, I think the government offered one
(08:33):
hundred million dollars and it wasn't enough in any funding
on things like that, and comes at the expense of
not being able to spend money on hospitals and you know,
you know, we're trying to build a great hospital in
and needing for one point nine billion and so that
one hundred million dollars or more likely now would be
something's got a way up as to what the alternative
spin would be. So but look, I mean what we
(08:54):
want to see as will of a conversation. I want
to make a decision pretty quickly because I just don't
want to drag on conversation as we've seen dragged on before.
You saw the last time a government made an effort
it clearly wasn't a naugh Team New Zealand. It's a
global event. There'll be lots of places that want to
be able to host it, and well, you know, as
I said, we'll have a conversation, but we've also in
(09:15):
serious times. I think the Zealand is going to say, well,
do you want to send hundred million dollars doing that
or do you want to invest in some of our
core public services.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
You make it a very unfair argument when you mentioned
hospitals and roads and the toss up with which one
you go with here, that's very unfair, Christopher.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Unfortunately, when you've got one hundred billion dollars worth of
debt and thanks for the last lot, and you know
that now means we've got almost a ten billion dollar
interests billd just on the debt and you've gone from
five billion of debt to one hundred billion of debt.
That's the reality that I have to live with every day.
And that's why I keep saying I'm trying to bring
financial discipline back to Wellington because you know, there's lots
of nice to do. We'd love to do, you know, honestly,
(09:55):
I'd love to be able to spend money and invest
in lots of different ways. But what we've inherited hell
of a mess. And what we're doing is straight and
get out and sorting it out. And I hope people
get a sense of that. I know it's still tough,
but you know, when you see inflation get backed into
the band of two point two percent, when you've seen
an interest rate cuts starts now take on downward track,
which has been great. We've got our banking inquiry actually
(10:15):
kicking off today around rural banking, which will be quite something.
You know then now as our focus has to be
on growth and jobs, you know, as we move from
inflation and interest rates. So you know, that's just the
reality that you know, we are in financially for New Zealand.
So it's just being really clear that if we are
going to support something of that, we've just got to
make sure it's got big economic benefits for us.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You'll get to play Father Christmas one day. I reckon
Prime Minister Christopher Luxe and appreciate your time as always.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Go well, yes, thank you, having great to be with you,
great to be.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
With you as well. Yeah, before the end of the
our No More Sports chat, there's been so much good
sport we've covered it off as well, but we are
going to cover off yesterday's age year with Deary and
z who took out those director slots. I'm going to
tell you where you can find New Zealand's best sausage.
We're going to look at well, we are going to
(11:04):
look at someone who's juggling a lot in her life
and still achieving amazing things. And we're going to look
at why the Australians are snooll still trying to snooker
us a bit on the red meat front. All here
on the country. Wow, Wow, we are off the mighty
(11:25):
Mulu country now here on the country. Tracy Brown joins
me chair Elitt for Dairy and Zed. Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Roight.
Thanks for having me, Mike Pleasure. A huge day for
dairy in zed yesterday your AGM, the announcement of who
was going to join the board of Dairy and Z.
How did it all go down?
Speaker 6 (11:44):
It went really well.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
We had a good number of funers come along to
the HN and we had some really good questions and discussion.
All the resolutions that were put out in the writing
pets were passed. Professor gran Edwards from Lincoln University, he
came and she had some thoughts with us around the
importance of the fully functioning R and Z framework going forward,
and we look forward to some announcements coming from the
(12:07):
government on how that might look for the future. And
we also spent some time to celebrate the fabulous contribution
Jim's made to the sector of our outgoing to here.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Jim vander Pold has done so much for darien Z.
It has been a really challenging time trying to fit
three nominations into two director slants when you've had some
amazing candidates. Richard McIntyre and doctor Jacqueline Rowis will join
the darien Z board.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Now that's correct, and all the candidates were excellent. We're
very lucky to have such high standard of people go
into the election process, and I just really want to
congratulate everyone that took place and congratulating and welcome Duck
them back onto the board and rich of the course,
onto the board of the new director.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
What are the priorities for darien Z now? What are
you working towards?
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Well, we're spending time really connecting of farmers, ensuring that
we're listening, rolling out a whole new range of events.
We're going extensions really differently, so and that's an iterative process.
We want to check in as we go along that
we're getting that right and that we're setting them up
with some solutions for the future. Are we spending some
(13:17):
time connecting with partners and stakeholders And I've already done
quite a bit of that during the transition with Jim,
but there's a lot more of that to do. Of course,
a big priority around supporting our chief executive and the
leadership team to really embed our new strategy. We've had
a big be set around that in the last sort
of eight months or so, and that's that's the main
priority now, is just getting that implemented. And then you know, personally,
(13:41):
I'll be thinking about how we focus on our board
going new board going forward. We've of course got David
Hunt to consumed last night and the AGM. He is
our new independent directors joinning, so we've got Home and
Richard as new directors. So just thinking about how we'll
operate going forward as our new board.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Now, you're, as I mentioned at the start, our chair.
What's the process now around getting a permanent chair?
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Yes, so the board, now that's the first item on
our agenda really posts the AGM, the board decides who
the chair will be. We call for nominations from the
board members and we run a process that usually takes
sort of about ten days maybe two weeks, and all
going well, the outcome of that will be announced sort
of the end of the monthly Snovemberges.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
You're a dairy farmer in your own right, six hundred
and eighty cows near Matamata. How's this season going for you?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Pretty good. We've had some late cold weather which has
slowed the grass growth down a bit, but the mating's
going well so far, and good news of late we've
bit of a lift and payouts certainly brightened things up
a bit. So yeah, we're feeling pretty positive at the moment.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Tracy Brown, Chair elect for darien Z. Always a pleasure
to catch up with you on the country. Go well
and all the best with the next steps for the
darien Z board.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
Thank you so much, RO appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Thanks Tracy. Just updating. Our fire crews have fully extinguished
a blaze at Napier's Ravenstown fertilizer factory. State Highway One
was briefly closed at Clive while debris was removed. Ravenstown
Chief executive Mike Whitti says no one was hurt and
neighboring buildings weren't damaged. Right up next to we are
turning our spotlight, turning our attention to wool. Curra Bigs.
(15:22):
The GM for Campaign for Wool in z joins me
next on the country.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
I left alone Wool Week with FMG because where there's
a wool, there is away.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
It is Woolweek here on the country. Joining me now
is the GM for Campaign for Wool end Zed Kara Bigs.
Good afternoon, Cara. The Campaign for Wool obviously aims to
promote and educate the world, and in particular your organization
here in New Zealand about the wonders of the woolfire.
But tell me a bit about your work.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Yeah, we're a registered charity and we were set up yeah,
over ten years ago now, so we've been around for
a week while we work really for our strong will growers,
and I guess we've got three key jobs to do.
The first ones around advocating for our growers to help
drive better value sort of at farm gate. The other
ones around promotion that sort of as you said, that
(16:21):
awareness and benefits of wool fiber itself out to consumers.
But the third piece is that's a big one that
we're working on at the moment, and that's around education
and expanding our footprint into educating New Zealand as young
New Zealanders about wool fiber, particularly in that kind of
architecture and product design space. So yeah, I mean people
(16:43):
might know about woolen Schools. That's been around for a
while twenty fifteen I think that was set up. But
this year we've expanded into early childhood. We've increased our
footprints and primary schools. We've gone out to Totiary, We've
got a tertiory pilot program called will Dynamics that we've
launched and The next year is just as big with
(17:03):
an increase into secondary schools and into workforce development as well.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So it's all go, yeah, fantastic because there are a
lot of households in which will won't be discussed. It
won't be a topic of conversation around the dinner table.
Education early it's really important so people grow up knowing
about well, what kind of messaging are you putting into
early childhood centers?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah, you did, right, ro. You know, there's a lot
of awareness that needs to happen around wool. You know,
people have grown up with plastics, so it's really our
job to make sure that kids and their parents understand
that wall's a natural fiber, that it's renewable, that it's biodegradable,
unlike its plastic kind of counterparts. So there's a whole
(17:47):
lot of work going on around replacing plastics with wool
solutions and just digging into I was at the Gismond
show last week with Wise Wool actually who replacing plastic
form and furniture with wool stuffing. You know Lanco for example,
replacing plastic filters with with wall filters. All of that
(18:10):
kind of stuff is what we want kids to kind
of learn about and grow up with so that when
they get into their tertiary education and workforce development that
they're actually thinking about creating new products with wool. Because
it's when they turn into adults that all of that
learning right back from early childhood is going to come
into play. So that's our messaging there. Learn about wool,
(18:33):
learn to love it, learn what it does, and learn
its benefits.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
We had some amazing schools exhibiting at field Days with
projects around wolf. There was St. Peter's College. I are
in a college for their wool pod as well. Is
that kind of what you're aiming for is taking people
on the journey with you and hoping to inspire them
to innovate as well.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
One hundred percent. And that's what this launch into secondary
school is all about. The work that thoseudents did. I mean,
that is high level stuff, that's really clever thinking, and
we want to really start to nurture that thing king
with these with these kids as they grow up. That
I own a college, you know, winning that People's Choice
Award with their wall Study pod, it's really innovative.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, congratulations to Phoebe Butler and Maddie Foot for that.
I went and sat in it at field days and
I'm like, actually in the office, that would be really
really cool. Sometimes. Campaign for wool obviously dates back to
twenty ten. His Majesty King Charles, when he was Prince
of Wales was instrumental in setting it up. You've also
(19:35):
managed to attract some really high profile ambassadors here in
New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
We certainly have, I mean the most recent one with
Sam Neil earlier this year. He's so down to earth
and he is incredibly focused on growers. He's got a
huge following, so whenever he posts something about wool on
social media, for example, it goes out to like six
hundred and seven the thousand people or something. So he's
(20:02):
hugely instrumental in the work that we're doing in the promotional.
Speaker 6 (20:06):
Space next year.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
But we've also got other ambassadors like Liz Mitchell. She's
a sort of self designated wool revolutionist and she's doing
amazing work not only in fashion design, which is where
her background is, but also in developing this wool revolution
and the sort of arts and crafts and homework space
as well. Stephen McDougall, so he's an architect based down
(20:29):
in Wellington with Studio Pacific, and he's an ambassador of ours.
We do a lot of work with him in the
architecture space, and we will be working with him more
as we go into workforce development next year for CPD
Continued Professional Development Points for Architects.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Kara, one thing I've noticed is now I'm a lot
more aware of wool when I go to rural events.
If I'm am seeing or even just attending them, I
find myself looking around taking note of who is wearing
wool as part of their attire. You're having a huge
influence on me.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, yeah, well we're hoping to for sure. We certainly
do try to keep people on their toes when they
walk up to us at events and they might be
wearing a synthetic jacket or something, and we sort of say, oh,
maybe that could be New Zealand Strong Will.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Kara bugs GM for Campaign for Wool in ZET really
appreciate your time on WILL Week. Go well and good
luck with the advocacy, education and promotion work for WILL
in New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Thanks so much, Bro.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Thanks Kara. Right up next to where you can find
New Zealand's best sausage. Michelle Watson for rural news and
sports news anyway twenty four away from one you are
with the country. His executive producer Michelle Watt with the
Rural News, What.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
The Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower Bread, visit steel for dot co
dot Inzet for your local stockist.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
And you were talking about the best sausage in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Row, where is it?
Speaker 7 (22:01):
It's an Auckland.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Have you been to this butchery? Westmath? No, I haven't
loved good Auckland sausage though, which kind was it?
Speaker 8 (22:09):
Lake sausage?
Speaker 7 (22:10):
Great?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Great stuff? What else is happening in rural news?
Speaker 7 (22:14):
So before I got the giggles there, actually this is
something not to giggle out. There's some heavy rain warnings
and when warnings coming through for the south Isron specially
the West and mid Canterbury and down south here, so
just make sure you keep an eye on those warnings
over the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Absolutely the last thing anyone needs that is your rural news.
He has sports sport.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
We're the AFCO Kiwi to the bone since nineteen.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Oh four in sport, New Zealand Olympic Committee Boss Nicky
Nickel excepts they're now preparing for a make do Commonwealth
Games in Glasgow. She sees gratitudes required for the fact
an event is occurring, even if fifteen sports are taking
a breather and the Australian netballers are at a loss
to explain their run of seven defeats in New Zealand.
The World champions faced the second game of the Constellation
(22:57):
Cup to night in Auckland after a fourteen gold trunks
by the hosts and the Wellington OK Now we're heading
to Australia. Shortly here on the Country, Angus Gidley bed
out of the Rabobank Sydney office, but up next to
we are heading south to catch up with Southern girl
Laura Coat. Here on the Country. Monthly, here on the
(23:19):
Country we catch up with a farm strong farmer. Today
we're heading to the southern end of Lake Wakatapu, Kingston.
There we find one of the most amazing Southern girls
I have ever had the pleasure of chatting to real
country and feel like foundation fame. Mum of two. Laura
Coat joins me, Good afternoon.
Speaker 8 (23:37):
Good and it's so good to chat with you. Thanks
for having me on.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Oh my absolute pleasure. You make me exhausted just thinking
about all of the hats you wear. But you're someone
who is an amazing, amazing ambassador in rural New Zealand.
You're also part of the farm Strong Supporter network, which
helps promote messages and resources. Laura, what drew you to
Farm's Wrong? I.
Speaker 8 (24:01):
Like many people, have been through some pretty challenging times,
both very recently and you know, throughout my thirty something
years over the age. But I have been really proactive
and getting on top of my mental health. I've been
really proactive and developing confidence and who I am and
(24:24):
my abilities and has been steadfast and creating a life
that I'm really really proud of. And that's not easy,
and it hasn't been easy, but it's been the most
meaningful work that I've done. And so with all the
work that I do at Real Country, with the confidence
building workshops, the work that I do with the Feel
Up Foundation, you know, building really well rounded, confident woman
(24:49):
for our egg sector, It's just something that's really important
to me. And everyone has their own approaches to how
they proactively, you know, manage their mental health. But farm Strong,
you know, they're messaging around their five ways to wellness,
with connecting, with giving, you know, taking time to take
notice of things, continually, being a lifelong learner, and being active.
(25:13):
I personally connect really personally with all of those five things.
So it was a really good fit and it's been
a great thing to be part of because the other
ambassadors see things similar to me, and we just get
out there and we get stuff done, which is what
I love.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah. Absolutely, And speaking of getting stuff done, you've had
a bit of a challenging time this year, so you
decided to do something about it.
Speaker 8 (25:38):
Yeah, I feel like COVID my shit getting destroyed a
couple of years ago. I sort of thought I'd be
in for a bit of a cruisier year, but I've
got to be honest. You nailed it on the head
when you introduce me juggling everything, two businesses, two children,
and most recently two houses because we've been building us
(26:00):
home and moving into it. It's been a really challenging
time personally for me in the last couple of months.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
And I.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
Sat down one day to do some work a couple
of weeks ago, and I'm really efficient when I've got
my head down and bum up and get stuff done.
But because I was so overwhelmed, I spent three hours
staring at a computer screen and achieved very little and
really wasn't able to get anything done. And I had
to sit myself back and go, why I've got all
(26:31):
the time in the world right now, my kids are
being looked after. I need to get this stuff done.
My to do list is insane. Why can't I focus?
Why can't I get this done? Why can't I be productive?
And I was under a lot of pressure. I was
very overwhelmed. I was falling back on patterns where I'd
bite my nails because you know, dealing with it all.
(26:54):
And I had to go, right, you're not a great place.
What are you going to do about it? And for me,
I like to give. Giving to others and doing things
for my community makes me feel really good about myself.
And even though you would think that it's adding more
to my list and more things to do, I understood
(27:16):
a long time ago that the to do list never
ends and that to do list never gets any smaller.
And what I think is going to help take the
pressure off is picking things off on my to do list,
But that actually doesn't work for me. What actually works
for me is giving to others, connecting with others, getting
really active, learning a new skill. And these are all
(27:40):
Armstrongs five ways to wellness. So I'm not going to
sit around and just continue to be overwhelmed and under pressure.
I decided to put on a free day the local
farmers in the community where they could come have a barbecue,
shoot some clays, throw some axes, have a yarn. Because
it's been it's in a tough spring for all in
(28:01):
our community.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
To be fair, Yeah, yeah, as some of the stories
I've heard from people have kind of highlighted it, but
unless you're actually living it, you don't get a real
sense of that. So how did the shoot and shout
day go?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Laura?
Speaker 8 (28:15):
Which was actually really quiet because it was a beautiful
day yesterday, so everywhere and all the farms around the district,
the tractors would have been going, the drench guns would
have been going, the tailing gangs will be out. You know,
it would have been a really, really busy day. But
I had a great day. My team had a great day.
(28:35):
The handful of farmers that turned up had an absolute ball.
I mean, I had fantastic mate given to me by
the local Ethel Hunt Club and we had some good
yarns and it was great to actually personally connect with
Matt Patterson, who's a fellow Farmstrong ambassador based in Lumsdon.
(28:55):
We've messaged a lot on social media, so he made
the effort to come up and it was amazing. But
I understand farmers are busy and there is time pressure
to get caddocks worked up, to get feed in the ground,
to get the animals sorted. So I certainly didn't take
a sense and I still had a great time, so
that was cooled.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Murphy's law though on the weather, and I know, chatting
to our UK correspondent earlier in the week, Tom Martin,
he's off to Corsica. I think it was a cypress
for two days. His wife's over there working and he
said he feels really guilty because they've had such a
wet autumn and the time he's scheduled to go away
four clear days and I need to be on the tractor,
(29:36):
but I also need a wee break. So yeah, it's
always that balancing act. Laura Coat out of Real Country
and Fairlight Foundation, thank you so much for your time
on the Country today. It's always great to chat to
the farmstrong ambassadors and find out how things are going
and your world. Appreciate your time.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
That's brilliant. Until next time you look after your South Rouenna.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You two getting to Australia. Now on the country there
we find Angus Kidley Beard Rabobanks, Senior analyst for Animal Protein.
You also produced the podcast for the Ravo research team. Angus,
is there anything you can't do?
Speaker 2 (30:13):
There's plenty I can't.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Well, it's great to be chatting with you. Let's look
at the Australian animal protein and the wool markets. First
of all, how are Australian beef prices tracking and what
are the key markets for you?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, no, Australian beef prices. They've recovered. Australian livestock in general,
both our sheet market and our cattle market and suffering
quite a large drop in prices and a lot of
confidence to it, to be honest, in the market last
year and we saw quite a dramatic drop in prices
across the board. Since then they've started to recover. A
lot of that was driven by a sentiment producer centiment
(30:49):
in the market about potentially drier seasons ahead. We've seen
rain people are more confident now and that's provided a
bit more of a flaw in the market. Plus, like you,
we've seen the influence of US beef market having an
impact on prices as well. So Australian cattle prices are
up there. They're still sort of tracking a little bit
below our five year average, but you know, we've got
(31:10):
a bear in minded that five year averages included three
record years of prices, so they're still there's still very
good prices, but as I said, tracking along reasonably flat
at the moment, we've got fetus years that's sort of
a three hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty
kilo animal going to a feed lot's trading at about
(31:31):
three dollars fifty. Australian and cow prices are about two
dollars seventy three for slaughter cows. Now we've seen a
much bigger rise in those cow prices, as I said,
driven by that US market and that demand to lane trimmings,
and you'd see that in the in the New Zealand
cattle prices as well. Whereas our younger stock and replacement
stock and some of those feeders stocks, they've only seen
a fifty seven percent increase a year on year. So
(31:52):
there's there's a lot of cattle in Australia at the
moment that producer demand is just not super urgent and strong.
That's driven young cattle that we are starting to see
the impact of the US market on our cow prices
and finished cattle prices.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Yeah, and you're also sending a lot of beef to
New Zealand. Over the three months period from July to September,
nearly two thousand tons of Australian beef, the most since
twenty ten. Stop sending it here.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Oh, look, if you're happy to take it, We're happy
to send it. We've got plenty around at the moment.
I was just sitting at export numbers and yeah, we've
got export volumes at the moment that are getting right
up there in terms of record volumes for US. The
benchmark we look at is twenty fourteen fifteen. They were
our last years where we saw massive production in Australia.
It was a huge liquidation because of drought. But we're
(32:42):
in a very different seasonal situation at the moment but
producing up near those volumes again. And because there's been
a slight contraction and domestic consumption, we're sending more into
those export markets. So yeah, I'm not surprised we've tried
to sneak a little bit more into New Zealand, but
we're also sending a have a lot to do other
countries as well. Volumes to the US are up huge amounts.
(33:08):
US is making up our biggest export market at the moment.
It's taking about twenty percent of our exports. Japan's taking
about twenty percent, and we're seeing volumes of Japan are
up as well. South Korea is reasonably steady. It takes
about fifteen China volumes are down, so we've lower volumes
of beef going into China just because of the weaker
(33:31):
conditions in that market at the moment.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, exactly what we're seeing here in New Zealand as well.
Like we used to just compete against you on the
rugby field, now we're competing against you and our export
markets and I don't like it. That was the beef.
Let's look at the sheep meat as well. Production out
of Australia was one of the key factors that lead
to New Zealand having lower sheep meat prices across recent
(33:54):
seasons as well. So you've really snooked us a wee
bit there. What's the outlook for Australian sheep meets a
production for the year aheat.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Yeah, it does feel a little bit that we can't
get our act together on the rugby field, so we'll
just swamp you with red meat. But yeah, it's a
similar story for sheep in the sense that it went
through that sort of seasonal low or sicklic low last year.
It's recovered again. But we've seen some massive volumes of
lamb and that's what you would be feeling in New
(34:23):
Zealand with the lower prices over there. The volume of
lamb that we've seen out of Australia this year New
I mean last year was a record. This year is
over and above that again, so huge volumes of lamb
through the first six months of this year. But interestingly
they're looking at the Lambslord of the weekly lambslad from
about July onwards, so we were tracking around five hundred
(34:44):
thousand head a week in the first six months of
the year. There are a couple of dips with holidays
et cetera. But since about July that numbers really edged
off and we're now coming back down to about three
hundred and fifty thousand head a week. There were some
big questions because we've we had drier conditions last year,
we saw people offload a few sheep. It also meant
conception rates and lambing rates have been a bit poorer,
(35:07):
particularly in some of our Victorian and Southern dates, and
we had high sheep sort or we've had high sheep
sort of for effectively the last eight a month. So
there was a big question mark as to what this
new season crop of lambs was going to look like,
whether or not we would still have the same volume
in the system, or whether and whether or not they
were going to be finished at the same time, or
whether we're going to see a reduction in that. And
(35:29):
we're actually starting to see quite a significant reduction in
our lamb sorder, which would suggest that it's not just
a one or two week delay because seasons are poor
and we haven't been our to finish lambs in time,
but suggesting that our lamb crop this year is going
to be well. This season is going to be quite
a bit down on what it was last year. Probably
good news year.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Yeah, we'll take it. Angus Gadley Baird Rubberbank, Senior analyst
for Animal protein. Appreciate your time is always but yeah,
if you could just keep your beef and your sheep
meat out of News England, that would be great on
behalf of our nations. Farmers.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
No, well, anything we can do right to try and
correct the rugby bellups.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
Thanks so much for your time, Go well, Jeer. Thanks
and I see you in Farmers Weekly. Will We're saying
they're not supplying Australian beef, but I'm pretty sure I've
seen some of their shops flop me a text five
double O nine. Catch you had tomorrow, catch you all
the latest from the land.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
It's The Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent,
You're specialist in John Deere machinery.
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