June 9, 2026 • 40 mins
Fieldays day one: Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Todd McClay, Todd Charteris, Lawrence Meredith, Tim Ewing-Jarvie, Sam Whitelock, Mark de Lautour, and Dominic Jones.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch you all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Farmlands, Better Drenched
Plans and better heard health. Start here.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
From tax to second tail bar away.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
He's just staffing raither room.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
And judge and by the smile tree all his face,
there's nothing I.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Can do The Noon, New Zealand. Good afternoon, The New
Zealand And Good afternoon, Day one of field days here
at Mystery Creek. I'm Jamie mckaye, host of the Country,
broadcasting from the Farmland site. Got a cast of thousands today,
let's get into it. Todd McClay, Minister of Agricultures with
us and I think we've got the Prime Minister, Christopher
(00:47):
luxon on the phone. We'll just get him on and
get him off. Prime Minister. Good afternoon. I'm looking forward
to your company tonight at the big fundraiser for the
Rural Support Trust. And I can tell you I've worked
really hard on a gag for you. I hope you've
got something in return.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Oh well, Jamie, as a mutually assured destruction, my friend.
If you launched one at me, I'll launch one back
at yea as we did last year. But hey listen,
great to be talking with you, and again thank you
mate for all of your support of the sector and
what you're doing with the Royal Support Trust as well.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
You've been awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well. I think six hundred and thirteen people are going
along to the Claudlands Events Center tonight. The Minister of
Agriculture will be there as well. We're going to When
I say we, Mike Green and his team are going
to raise three four five hundred thousand dollars who knows
how much for the Royal Support Trust. It's magnificent.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Yeah, it's all good stuff. And I just think you know,
we've obviously put some more investments in there last year
as you were aware, and there's a number of great
organizations doing some great work and Royal Support Trust as
one of them for sure. Just making sure that farmers
know that they're getting over the stigma of talking about
how things are for themselves and actually it's about getting
them access to those health and wellbeing services.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Now, your Minister of Agriculture, Todd mclach who's sitting right
beside me here, he was good enough to turn up
in person. You told me you you were too big
of a celebrity to walk down the ile here at
Field Days because everyone wanted to stop and shake your hand.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I will see you at some point. I didn't real
we were talking now, but it's good to be with you.
But isn't he doing a great job that Tom McLay.
You've got to be happy, don't you?
Speaker 6 (02:19):
As a farmer.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
He's opening up new markets.
Speaker 6 (02:21):
All around the world.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
He's getting rid of Wellington out of farming, he's backing
rural New Zealand. He's getting the conditions right for growth.
And you know, just already in a few hours I've
been here just walking around. I mean, you know, Deerry's
on fire, Red Meats are doing well. Will's doing fantastic.
We've got Kiwi fruit going great. And there's really good,
you know, really good feel here, which is great.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
We're going to hear from Tid and just Key's made
a couple of announcements this morning. I think you're making
a big one this afternoon. You're going to let us
in on the secret.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
I won't yet.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
I'm about got to go announce it, I think at
twelve thirty or twelve forty five today, But yeah, again,
we just want to we want the sex to know
where a government that's actually working with them, not doing
things to them. And actually we've got to do our job,
which is making sure we create the conditions for the success, ambition,
aspiration and growth, which is important.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Well, Prime Minister, I know you've got a busy dance
card this afternoon. I'll leave you. Thank you very much
for your time and we will see you tonight at
the big Rural Industry Leaders debate and event. It's going
to be great.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
It'll be lovely Jamie.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
And thanks again for your support mate. We appreciate it
what you do the sector.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Thank you very much for He's a man who's doing
a lot more than me for the sector. He's never
at home. He is the Minister of Agriculture. Todd Maclay.
I wouldn't mind your air points.
Speaker 7 (03:31):
Well, you can have them if you want that, no
problem at all, hey, Jamie. Thanks having on the sun
shining of the white out of the grass is growing
and I've seen at least one farmer that's smiling, so
it's a good start of the day.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
The Prime Minister has a big announcement coming up. He's
got his luncheon and O Todd charteris is out there somewhere.
He's got to go to the lunch. And Lawrence Meredith,
the EU Ambassador's coming on the show. He's got to
get to the lunch, and as do you. You've made
a couple of announcements this morning. One of them around
the Minister of Agricultures Future Leaders Scholarship three being presented annually. Yeah,
(04:03):
that's right.
Speaker 7 (04:04):
So I've been thinking a lot about it the last
sort of four or five months, and how do we
identify the farm leaders of the future and how do
we mentor them and bring them on? And so we're
doing is creating a scholarship. We'll announce it at the
Field Days. Every year three young New Zealanders are going
to mentor they're able to go and do some study
in New Zealand overseas, you know, look at best practice.
(04:25):
How do we start reinvesting in the young farmers of
today and grow those leaders of the future. And so
a little step in the right direction. I'll tell you
what's really pleasing. After we made the announcement at another
event and the Field Days organized themselves come out and
said they thought it was a greater year. They want
to join it and chuck some money and so at
the moment it will be three scholarships year at ten
(04:46):
thousand dollars each. I'm going to go and bend their
arm a little bit. Will grow that because I think
we could do four or five people a year.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
I was choking to the Prime Minister about them being
a big time celebrity not being able to walk down
the aisles and the street here at field days. It's
actually true. He's gets stopped all the time. As to you,
what's the feedback you're getting from the punters at the
coal face, I e. The farmers.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
Look, look, I think there's two things going on. You know,
the sector rightly is feeling good about itself. You know,
you produce the highest quality, safest food and fiber of
any country in the world, and consumers overseas are wanting
it and they're paying more for it. You think about America,
and I was asked the other day, am I frustrated
by what's happening in the States. It's hard to be
(05:29):
frustrated when it happens again and again and again. Feels
like every time, you know, we get inflation down, a
cost down, production up, America does something else. But even
with those tariffs, actually we're selling them about four percent
more by value than we were a year ago. It's
the primary sector. You think about that European Union free
trade agreement which we came to government. We got in
(05:49):
six months before, we're told we could in the first
two years three billion.
Speaker 8 (05:53):
Dollars worth of extra exports.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
The ego, it's the primary sector leading that so across
the board. Farming have a right to feel good, and
I reckon New Zealanders are backing you now. They're recognizing
the importance of what you're doing. The second thing that
I think that I'm noticing is I wander around as
you know, people are happy, but I just want to
get back on the farms and farm some more. We've
(06:17):
worked hard as a coalition government to simplify rules and
get rid of them, get rid of the costs, get
rid of those stupid bloody taxes that Chris Hipkins was
always trying to put on farmers everywhere, and back you
and you should be proud of what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
You got a government.
Speaker 8 (06:30):
It's going to work hard.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
How fortuitous was the timing around the Indian FTO.
Speaker 7 (06:35):
Well, we worked very hard of it. Do you know
April of this year sixteen years ago was the first
negotiation New Zealand had with India and successive governments have had.
As an ambition, Chris Luxon said before the election, we'll
do a deal in her first term. He backed me
to get on a plane and Jamie, I've been there
eight or nine times in the two years. From start
to finish, it took as nine months. I was just
(06:57):
up in Europe last week and I saw the European
Commissioner for Trade and he was a little bit grumpy
with me because I've just done a trade deal. And
his question was Todd, you're only five million people, you're
a little economy. Your deal in many places is better
than how how do you do it? And it comes
to relationship, right, we build a strong relationship with any
(07:18):
of the government and actually I know farmers do well
with it. So in an uncertain world we're not sure
what America is doing and everywhere else, we've got one
point four billion consumers that want what we produce, so
they're willing to pay for it. I think that's going
to be very important for rural New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
And you've done a great job. Then I'm going to
if you one more give you one more, or the
government one more pat on the back, or maybe even
the National Party at the risk of sounding like a
bit of a National Party lackey, but you've proposed the
policy this week doubling funding for the Q two National Trust.
That is the best bang for buck you can get
for conservation. It really really is.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
When I go overseas Agricultural Minister, I've got the easiest
job in the world because our farmer is the best
at what they do and everybody wants to be like you.
When I'm there as Trade Minister, it's a bliming hard
job because you're too good at what you do and
they want to block you from being there. And what
it gets raised occasionally is what is New Zealand doing
about environment? So the doubling of the QIWI Trust fund
(08:13):
means much more doing and this is just helping farmers
to do what they do so very well themselves, which
is to care about the land. We're got some other
announcements this week as well in that space that are
going to help. The PM wouldn't tease for you what
he's about to announce, but let me put it this way.
We've spent three years simplifying roles, making it easier for
you to meet your obligations. You know, the only way
(08:36):
we get to maximize all these trade deals. We're going
to produce more because we now there's more demand for
what we're allowed to produce.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
How about this, If you can show.
Speaker 7 (08:44):
The same or an improved environment of climate foot print,
why shouldn't you be able to do whatever you want
on your own land, you know, choosing a lands to
increase productivity except plant pine trees because I banned that.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
Good on you.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, it's getting a rousing reception here for the anti
CAO and farming rhetoric. Okay, we are waiting for that announcement.
It might come through about twelve thirty. If it does
before the end of the end of the hour, we'll
let you know. Todd Maclay, I know you've got to
go to a dinner. Todd charteris is here and I'm
just looking for the EU Ambassador Lawrence Meredith. Is he
(09:15):
here by any chance? Have we seen him?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
No?
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Okay? Up next to the batter's box after the break,
Chief executive of Rabobank, Todd charteris welcome back. My god,
that music's loud.
Speaker 8 (09:36):
Mark Kelly and Auckland.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Welcome back to the country, broadcasting live from the Farmland site.
Come and join us at e one oh eight. I
found the long lost EU Ambassador Lawrence Meredith. I thought
he'd dumped me for a flash lunch with the Prime Minister.
But I'll start with this man. Todd charteris chief executive
of Rabobank. You're a part owner, all be at a
(09:59):
very small part of the Highlanders, so your heart lies
down on the South. But you go into the foddy
here on Friday night.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Yeah, good afternoon, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (10:06):
Yeah, look, I am a proud Highlander supporter, but we're
out of the season, so yeah, I'm going along chiefs
of my number two teams.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
So go to the chiefs this weekend.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Go to the chiefs. You've got a busy week ahead
of you. Big morning tomorrow morning, the Ravo Bank breakfast.
They're always interesting. I know you've got Todd McLay who
we've just heard from, but also Ben Pickton, who's effectively
the senior economist for Ravo Bank, is based out of Sydney.
Very smart guy.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Yeah, look, really looking forward to that discussion tomorrow.
Speaker 9 (10:33):
I'll run a bit of a pen with those guys,
and I think getting their perspectives on things. You know,
it's pretty obviously a lot going on globally, so having
their perspectives and just understanding I think how us as
New Zealand and agriculture can respond to that be a
good discussion.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 9 (10:50):
We got a big turnout of clients and guests turning
up tomorrow morning, so looking forward.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
To hosting it.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And one thing us bludging members of the media do
is we quickly figure out where the best lunch as
are at field days, and to be fair, it's pretty
hard to go past Africvid. I hear you've pulled out
all the stops for your lunch at Rabobank for your clients.
Speaker 9 (11:10):
We're pretty proud of that, Jamie. We take it pretty serious.
We get a lot of well appreciated hospitality throughout the
year when we're out visiting our clients, so it's our
opportunity to repay that and it's a pretty damn good
lunch and I'll get good feedback and long mate continue.
We also make the point of wherever possible is only
(11:31):
providing produce from our clients, and so that's important for us.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, okay, Urkirk Silver fir and Farms, Barker's Fonterra and
mister Apple. We'll even get an apple if we're good
afterwards after lunch, okay, just before we go. You're a
big supporter of this Rural Support Trust fundraiser, the Rural
Industry Leaders event and debate tonight. It's going to be
so good. Shane Jones leading the charge on the debate.
You've got a silent auction item and currently it's sitting
(11:58):
on I think seven grand. It's a spot on the
twenty twenty seven Rabobank Farm Managers Program and you can
bid on this on bidder, I think is it.
Speaker 9 (12:07):
Yeah, Look, I'm not actually sure it's on their website,
but it's a great event and we're proud to support that.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
Last year, as you say, Jamie, it was a huge event.
Speaker 9 (12:16):
This tonight's going to be massive and just such a
good cause and really looking forward to it. And yeah,
encourage people if you're you know, the Minister earlier was
talking about growing leadership in the industry and I think
this is a great opportunity our Farm Managers program as
part of that. So courage people to take a look
and bid up it goes to a good cause.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Okay, enjoy the rugby on Saturday night, Todd McLay told McLay,
let's try told Charter on Friday, yes too, I shouldn't
have a late night on a school night and go
the Highlanders for next year. So that's Todd Charter's chief
executive of Rabobank. Now that I finally got his name right,
because he's got to go and have lunch and rub
shoulders with the Prime Minister. He'll be listening for that
(12:56):
big announcement. Here's a special guest. This man knows on
late nighters because I had one with them in christ
Church last year at the Primary Industry New Zealand Awards.
This is Lawrence Meredith. He's the EU Ambassador to New
Zealand and Todd McLay. Lawrence good afternoon. By the way,
was just saying how much one of the European trade
ministers was pitching about us getting a better deal with
(13:17):
India than you guys did.
Speaker 8 (13:20):
Good to see you, Jamie, I was.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
I don't think i've ever seen you drinking water before,
so it's always new.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
That's the pot calling the kettle black, my friend. So
this EU trade deal has been very useful for us.
I know you certainly do your bit and improving relations.
You do a great job here in New Zealand. But
we've got the EU, We've got obviously the UK, now
we've got China and we're about to get India. I mean,
how good's that?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
I just quote that bloke Minister McLay who said that
Europe's New Zealand's fastest growing export market. So up three
billion dollars since December twenty three. The New Zealand EU
free trade agreements going gang busters.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So what's sure and what capacity are you serving here
at field Days?
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Field Days is the largest agricultural show in the Southern
Hemisphere and this is the place to be. So we're delayed.
We've got the largest ever European presence. We're going to
do the first ever European Union New Zealand agri Innovation
Lunch tomorrow with Minister McLay and we've got ten ambassadors
from the European Union here at the show.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I know you do have to go to lunch, so
we'll look at you. Going to the Primary Industry in
New Zealand Awards this year.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I'm going to the Primer Industry Summer.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Absolutely seeing you there, and the awards are on the
Tuesday night as well. I know you've got to go
to lunch with the Prime Minister and with Todd Charter
A soul Lets you go, Lawrence. Always good to see him, mate,
You keep up the good work. He does right job
as the EU ambassador here in New Zealand. We're going
to take a break. You'd see him if he was here,
because he's like two meters tall. We'll look on the
(14:58):
lookout for Sam white life, but I've got a special
guest coming up. If i can't find Sam Whitelock and
I'm looking down the lane there can't see him. One
of the keynote speakers this morning on the Farmlands panel
a guy by the name of Tim Ewing Javi. He's
the managing director of Horizon Lab and he's all about
global risk and future scenarios and he had some really
(15:21):
interesting things to say this morning about how and when
the Strait of Hermuz might or might not open. So
we'll go with Tim up next and hopefully Sam Whitelock
as well. You're with the Country. We're at Farmland's site
E one eight. It's twelve twenty three, will be back
after the break stuff? Where against is your shirt breaks?
(15:47):
Welcome back to the country twenty six after twelve. We're
looking for Sam Whitelock. I'm sure we'll see him when
he wanders down with his two meter frame. He is,
of course these days the farm strong ambassador, but filling
the breach very shit. Notice another rugby player where he
looks like a rugby player to me anyhow, And I
was on a panel with him this morning. Tim Ewing Javi,
(16:07):
managing director for Horizon Lab. You're all about global risk
and future scenarios, especially around the Middle East, But you
do look like a rugby player? Are you still lacing
up the boots?
Speaker 8 (16:18):
Not lacing up anymore? But I'll take the compliment.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Chess.
Speaker 10 (16:20):
Maybe not quite Sam white lock level, but horror for noua. Yeah,
Eastern while I was coming up through age grade and
then disappeared off to play for the army and defense teams.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
After that, Well, you've got an army background. How do
you get from army background to a stratagist around global risk?
Speaker 8 (16:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (16:35):
I went for a bit of a grand adventure, so
I came up as an infature officer did some specialist
training and then very long story short, during COVID, I
was in Afghanistan, had a hard time getting back into
the country, so I got parachuted off into the Pentagon instead.
It's been a few years in the States. Did you
get to meet Trump while you were there? Nope, but
I saw his modicaiated go past couple of times.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Like coach, let's talk about some of the stuff you
were talking about this morning. You painted four scenarios for
the Middle East straight off a mouz over this conflict
we've got at in the Middle East at the moment,
between the Americans and Iran, and then you've got the
side battle between Hezbollah and Israel. Obviously you weren't that
(17:18):
positive about this ending quickly.
Speaker 10 (17:21):
Yeah, I mean I think there's sort of there's four
broadways to look at this in terms of planning cases,
and you have to update these as new material comes
to hand. But I would say the best case is
we get a durable deal. At the moment we're negotiating
for a deal, to make a deal, so setting our
principles to get the straight opens and some non negotiables
and then we can start talking.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
So getting that durable deal.
Speaker 10 (17:44):
I'd put in maybe a sort of ten to fifteen
percent probability band in.
Speaker 8 (17:47):
The short term.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Your worst case, obviously is a return to a full
regional escalation. Again, I'd probably park that between ten and
fifteen percent of probability.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Because effectively both of those nations don't want to go
to war.
Speaker 8 (18:00):
Well, they both, it's not quite that simple.
Speaker 10 (18:02):
They have high ideological drivers, particularly in Iran, so it's
not just a case of making a humanitarian or economically
pragmatic deal.
Speaker 8 (18:13):
And the US isn't a wee bit of a quagmire, so.
Speaker 10 (18:16):
You know, they'll have some hard strategic ends to meet.
Your base case is more likely to be a fragile deal,
which is more like a frozen conflict, sort of an
extension of what we have now. The Iranians will be
quite happy to sort of slow roll that process as
best as they can.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
But won't they go broken the interim The short answer
is probably.
Speaker 10 (18:37):
They do still have some material support from the likes
of Russia and China and some of their supporting states.
But the other thing is, you know, we're not dealing
with a unitary political actor the way we're used to,
you know, like our government who makes arch rational choice
for a country we're talking about the revolutionary leadership. Then
they've got a double house parliament. Then you've got the
(19:00):
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps who are sworn to protect the revolution,
and then you've got a commisional military. So when you
think about trying to align all those different actors in
the different power centers and getting them to agree on
a particular a particular deal, the one thing they can't
do is lose face.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So if I'm a punter sitting out there and there's
a lovely crowd out in front of the heat today,
more importantly, a bigger crowd hopefully listening on the radio.
The short answers don't expect fuel prices to drop anytime soon.
Speaker 10 (19:28):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not an economist, but I guess
my contribution to that broader discussion would be the IEA,
in essential Energy agency, has warned of about a six
million barrel deficit throughout the rest of the year, and
because there's been a lot of damage to energy infrastructure
and a few shut ins on the rigs, it's going
to take a bit of time to get production back
(19:48):
up to where it needs to be. For shipping companies,
to get their confidence back up and insures to eat
some of those prices.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
And a final word, because I think Sam Whitelock's here
is he we're getting a thumbs up? Yeah, okay, we'll
get him over here. Thanks. And new US tariffs around
forced labor. Isn't this a bit rich coming from Trump
because a lot of the American goods are produced maybe
not with force labor, but also with cheap labor. But
(20:16):
you're saying this could have big repercussions, for instance, our
solar power industry.
Speaker 8 (20:23):
Yeah, it's an interesting one.
Speaker 10 (20:25):
I couldn't really speak to precedent from the States, but
you know, we knew that the Trump administration we're looking
for another legal avenue to roll out their tariffs, and
certainly it would be doubly beneficial for them if they
can score some points on China at the same time.
So we know that in particular Xinjiang province up in
the northwest are the heavily involved in solar grades polysilicon
(20:49):
that goes into your panels.
Speaker 11 (20:50):
And the like.
Speaker 10 (20:50):
So it's an interesting case study of how a small
maritime trading nation can get stuck between big players who
have got a squarter settle.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Well tim ewing Javi Man, director of Horizon Lab. Great
job filling in at short notice, mate, well done. From
one rugby player to another, arches horror Fana to this bloke.
Played a bit of rugby for the All Blacks. In fact,
one hundred and fifty three games for the All Blacks.
Samuel White lot, great to see you here, Samuel. Now
here's a question for you. Do you reckon Bowden? Barrett
(21:19):
can hang in there and break your record.
Speaker 8 (21:22):
Of course again. Good morning you everyone.
Speaker 11 (21:24):
I think it's all an afternoon yet. Yeah, it's been
an early start this morning. Came up from the mentor too.
But it's good to be here and it's a beautiful
day here and looking forward to having a bit of
a look around and having a bit of a young.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
You're here and your capacity as a farm Strong ambassador.
There's lots of people go through farm Strong over the
four days at field Days. What's the vibe.
Speaker 8 (21:44):
Yeah, the ViBe's awesome.
Speaker 11 (21:46):
It's cool having people come in and just have a
you on and work out you know, what's been happening
and what they've been up to, and it's always nice
to just do that to the fad and have a
cup of tea and see where everyone's at.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You were sheep and beef farming and hawks play. I
think you sold that property, had a beautiful property, did
you sell it?
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Yes, No, we've just moved back to the family farm.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
To the dairy farm, which is a beautiful dairy farm too.
I might add I've been lucky enough to have a
look around it. So how many white lock boys are
milk and cows there now?
Speaker 11 (22:15):
Yeah, so we've taken over the one half of mom
and dads and mild by the George's on the other half.
So we're totally separate, but obviously sheer information being next
door to each other.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And is there a bit of competition, Yeah, there's some
friendly competition.
Speaker 11 (22:31):
And I hate to say history is repeating with the
cousins being the next thing. And they all had cross
country the other day, and they all did pretty well,
and they were all working out who got first and
who got second, and they're not teasing each other, but
they're just suddenly having little digs at each other who
did well and who probably could have done.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So it was a strategic move to get away from
sheep and beef goud to dairy.
Speaker 11 (22:53):
I was just a really hard decision. I've actually ran
into a couple of neighbors that walking here before, and
I really loved our time Hawks Bay, the people, the weather,
the community, the style of farming.
Speaker 8 (23:05):
Really enjoyed.
Speaker 11 (23:05):
And it was probably just that that pool of the
family history and having you know, a brother next door
and you know, the beautiful family, having that rural upbringing
that we had, of just bucking down the road and
kind of disappeared for a couple of hours. No one
really knows where you are, but you know that you're
either here or here or here.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Plus it helps that your old man Braden Braiden and Caroline.
Sorry about that, Braiden, if you're listening, it helps that
he's that they together have created a beautiful farming operation
for you guys. RIDI I live well, share well with
Roland Smith. There's another great Hawks Bay man, and I
think he's here tomorrow. Going to try and get him
(23:46):
on the show.
Speaker 11 (23:47):
You know, he'd be awesome to come on the show.
He's amazing, amazing man, achieved some amazing things. His lovely
wife is exactly the same. I had to share a
couple of sheep in front of him, so it was
a little bit embarrassing, but we got the wall off them.
I didn't cut them too bad. And it's always good
when you've got a camera that you can kind of
take a few things out and make it look pretty okay.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
A couple to finish on big game of Foddy here
on Friday night. Of course, you're a crusader man through
and through. They will start or will they start as
underdogs against the Chiefs?
Speaker 8 (24:21):
Yeah, massive game.
Speaker 11 (24:23):
I think it's a time of year that no one
really knows what it is and it doesn't matter what
the former has been beforehand. But obviously Chiefs at home,
so they probably got the favorite tag on them, and
you know that they deserve to have that because they've
been playing well.
Speaker 8 (24:39):
And that's why.
Speaker 11 (24:40):
You know, in the competition, if you play well, you
get that home advantage and most teams make most of it.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
And I think the Hurricanes will tidy up the Blues.
Can any either of those sides beat the Hurricanes if
that was to come to pass.
Speaker 11 (24:53):
I honestly think with all the games, it doesn't actually
matter who's playing. You know, through my career I was
lucky enough to, you know, get it right a couple
of times, and it's only by a small percentage you
come out on the right side. If you get it
wrong by only a little bit, you can get a
few points put on you. So it's one of those
ones that it's a beautiful thing about sport. It doesn't
(25:13):
matter what the form says, who's hot favorite, it's on
the day and sometimes eighty minutes can separate teams pretty quickly.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
May not allowed to duck for cover. On my final question,
the All Black team will be announced very shortly for
the June series. There'll be know Scott Barrett, which is
a real shame because I think he's a great lock
and I know you locked a lot of rugby scrums
with them, So bearing in mind he's not there, who
are the two starting locks? Do you reckon for the
All Blacks for the June or July series?
Speaker 11 (25:44):
I think you and I would be a pretty good combination.
I'm not sure he's going to play tight head and
who's going to play loose head, but I'm sure we'll
work that out at training on the first day.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
No, no, not you and I. Come on, seriously, there's
so many good young locks coming through. The young guy
from Canterbury.
Speaker 11 (25:58):
For Yeah, so Jamie been playing well, but I think
that's the cool thing is there's ACTI competition there and
working out with a new coaching setup who they want
to pick, who they can see developing in. Sometimes it
comes down to combinations. You know, have these people played
together before?
Speaker 8 (26:18):
You know?
Speaker 11 (26:18):
Are they both a similar style or do you have
But like you and I on the braun and you're
the brain.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
So I think that's why I go back with my
original arm.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I'm meant to do the jokes on the show. Samuel
Whitelocke not you. Thank you very much for your time.
I really appreciate it. You doing a great job as
the farmstrong ambassador, and I know you are truly genuine
and passionate about the course. Samuel Whitelock There, We're going
to take a break on the other side of it,
rural news and sports news before the end of the hour.
Mark Delatour, who's the chief executive of Open Country Derry.
(26:50):
I hope he's bringing a block of cheese and dominic
jones from Origin Capital Partners. A lot of rich people
sitting in front of me here. Have I got a
deal for you when it comes to investing in the
Kiwi fruit industry, Will be back after the break. Yes,
and welcome back to the country. We are at Farmlands,
one of our naming sponsors on the country. The other
one is, of course, is Suzi. You've just heard about them.
(27:12):
Now if we've got a deal for you, I've got
a deal for you on Kiwi fruit and the deal
for you on a new ute. Issuzu utes have long back,
hard working keywis and if you're in farming trades rural life,
chances are you already know why these vehicles are built
with real truck DNA. The Dmax chute brings a three
leader turbocharged diesel engine, three point five ton towing capacity,
(27:35):
the strength and durability to handle whatever the farm or
whatever job on the farm or the site throws at
you season after season. And if you need extra seats,
do what I do. Drive an m Ux suv gives
you seven of them, same engine, same towing power as
the Dmax, just room for the family or if you
like me, fold the seats down. You can get in
lots of golf clubs. So whether you're replacing a tired
(27:57):
workhorse or adding to the fleet, now is a good
time to talk to your local Isuzu dealer. Get out
the gate deal on a D Max or an m
Ux comes with every new Isuzu backed by the double
tough six year warranty for genuine peace of mind. Head
into your local Isuzu dealership and see what they can
do for you. Here's Michelle Watt with the latest and
(28:19):
rural observations.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
The country's world news with god Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower Bread. Visit steel Ford dot co
dot Nz for your locals doggist.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
All right, we finally got her out of Belkloth, first
time in Hamilton for the field days. What did you
make of it? We've put on a beautiful day for you.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
It's somewhat overwhelming.
Speaker 12 (28:38):
I feel a little bit like the young working dog
that's finally been allowed out.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
That's what I feel like. All right, Well that was
short and short and sharp. No, No, it's fabulous And
you've literally only been in the media center. We've been
flat out here at the Farmland site this afternoon if
you get time, because we're wandering down to do some
stuff with the IHC CARF and Rural Scheme at PGG. Right,
and so we're going to show you the other end
of the Field Days as well. Look, Michelle, I do
(29:04):
need to have we got some sports news. We've got
a sports news liner there somewhere. Thank you, Mark.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Sports on the Country with fco Key.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
We owned. That's rare.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Now, Michelle, your screen is disgusting. It is absolutely disgusting.
It is full of dust and goodness knows what you
had for lunch. I love I love Field Days. Now
all about this now and let me see if I
can read through the dust and the food scraps that
are on your screen. Former Black Hips test opener Mark Richardson,
this is a challenge. Hopes we haven't seen the last
(29:36):
of Ben Stokes, an international cricket Speculation is mounting that
Stokes may stand down following the nightclub incident, currently currently
under investigation. Mark Richardson has said that would be a
sad way for his career to end, and also to
All Black's coach jud Flavel has recalled guard Thie Webster
(29:57):
for next month's Basketball World Cup Quali against the Philippines
and Guam and Auckland. That's your sports news back after
the break. I see him out there. The chief executive
of Open Country Dairy has he got a block of
cheese with him. No, no, well, I'm not sure if
he's going to get on the program. He's got what
a Mark Delatour on and hopefully Dominic Jones to talk
(30:19):
Kiwi fruit there. He goes there before the end of
the hour. We'll be back after the break. You're with
the Country at Farmland's. It is seventeen away from one.
Welcome back to the Country. We're at the Farmland site
E one. Oh. There's a lot happening here, and there's
a lot happening at the Open Country Dairy site as well.
(30:39):
The chief executive, Mark Delatour, joints us you normally come
bearing gifts. I mean, I'm looking for my block of
Open Country cheese. And I don't want to sound like
a media bludger, but I'm actually a sharehold, not a shareholder.
I'm a supplier. So you can give me a block
of cheese. I'll give it to my young tech from
Auckland here. He can take it home.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Checks in the mail journey.
Speaker 8 (31:00):
I'm good for a couple of blocks in a minute.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Okay, what's happening with Open Country at field Days this year.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I've got out our usual big stand. It's a lot
of fun. We've got the usual cheese tasting. We've got
beer and wine and maybe maybe a few gins lader
on this afternoon to pair with the cheese.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
A little bit of difference.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
At two o'clock, we've got butter and bubbles, so a
bit of a combination there. But we've started a new
butter plant this year, so we thought we'd put through
a butter theme in there, and.
Speaker 8 (31:27):
I'll mix it with some bubbles.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I'll think i'll respectfully decline the invitation. I've got an
end with Rowena, the big Rural Support Trust fundraiser tonight
at Claudland's events, and I understand you're going to be
there and you've got a celebrity stacked table and including
that journalist of the year Riley Kennedy from Business Tests.
Speaker 8 (31:46):
Yeah, that Riley's there. Riley's there, so that it'll be
a good night.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
I think we'll just have to make sure he doesn't
drink all the drink before we get started.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Or eat all the food anyhow. So we've finished the
twenty five twenty six season. You know, I don't want
to bring up Fonterra, but there, I guess the yard
stick they'll come out with their final price in about September,
but it's pretty much locked and loaded around that nine
seventy mark. What about open country.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, we've just just a couple of days ago put
out our new price for the for the last period,
the final period for our milk season. You know, that's
that's the May period milk that's paid out July and August.
So that's it between nine to sixty and ten. So
that of course, depending on the farm across your four periods,
that depends on what.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
The average will be.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
But for you, but we'll be there or thereabouts as
we always are, Jami.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
The next next season is what we're focusing on.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Okay, well, let's have a look at the next season.
Fonterra started reasonably bullishly, didn't they. What were they? Nine
seventy nine to seventy five?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, I guess the point is that the forecasts somewhere
between the season being an absolute disaster jams.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Eight dollars or an absolute moonbeam season. Dairy companies can
be saved by.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Know we've got the season next year about nine to
fifty nine to ninety so, you know, it's that sniper
mentality of aimes small miss small.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
I guess in the forecast.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It's interesting that for two years in a row, Fonterra
has done exactly that. They've started their forecast milk price
range last season and this season between eight dollars and
eleven dollars, but they haven't used the mathematical midpoint.
Speaker 6 (33:24):
That's right, I guess.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I guess it's you know, we're probably taking a position
of you know, we want to attract capital to the
industry who want to check more milk, to the industry,
more farmers, and to do that, giving some sense of
clarity on the way forward is the best way to
do that. So you know, well, will it be in
that range? Will it be in our midpoint.
Speaker 6 (33:43):
For next season? We'll probably be wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
But again Aimes small miss Small, and we think that's
a good guy for farmers.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
We were talking this morning on the Farmlands Panel to
a guy by the name of Tim Ewing Jarvie who
was kind enough to give us some of his time
today on the show. He's into global risk and future scenarios,
and the futures rather cloudy, and that's probably a nice
way of describing it. We live in a tumultuous sort
of world and when I think about New Zealand as
(34:12):
an exporting nation. Everything we export has to be transported
to markets, often a long way from home, so that
doesn't bode well just for the cost of getting to
market no matter what you're doing in this country. And
we'll talk about key we fruit in a minute.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, definitely, I think you know, fuel costs and access
to market. You know, the Middle East isn't really buying
for dairy at the moment because they simply don't know
whether we'll be able to get the product to market.
So of course you know there is some challenges in
that area. But in Europe is supplying Middle East with
a lot of product now. But of course if the
European products going to the Middle East, it opens up
(34:48):
gaps around the rest of the world. What we do
know is fat and protein consumption across the globe is lifting.
There's always challenges. We just back ourselves to adapt so
no season will be the same. People are eating more
protein and people are eating more natural fats.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
That's got to be a good thing.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Let's talk about this protein boom off the back of
these GLP one, the diet drugs. This is a new
market that effectively didn't exist even two or three years ago.
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
But I mean it's new, but it's not. You know,
I guess the GLP we won, drugs or medicines are
enhancing it. But it's not that different than you know,
the Yadkins died and the likes and people have known
it for a while that sugar is the enemy. Natural
protein and natural fats are actually healthy for you. Just
back in the Richard Simmons nineteen seventies days, it was
(35:37):
you know, eat sugar cereals for breakfast and jump up
and down. But we know now that that's actually not
eating as nature and suggested is the best thing.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
One more question for you, Mark Delator. Then I'm going
to talk key we fruit. We talked in this country
in the early twenty ten's about peak dairy. We said
we'd got there, we didn't want to go back there.
But are we going back there again?
Speaker 6 (35:58):
Now?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Are we going back to the future?
Speaker 6 (36:00):
I hope so, I hope so.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
I don't think New Zealand's anywhere near peak derry.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
I think the.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Likes of environmentally, can we handle it?
Speaker 6 (36:06):
Yeah? We can. I think there's plenty of here.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
This is just like everything what we're going to be
careful of is New Zealanders were really good at swinging
from one extreme to the other. I think if we
just look at the right appropriate land use, we can
certainly produce a hell of a lot more dairy in
this country.
Speaker 6 (36:20):
And if we're going to double export earnings, we'll need.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
To, Okay, Mark Delatore, chief executive of Open Country Dairy.
Wrapping the show, we're going to talk key we fruit
with Dominic Jones from Origin Capital Partners. That is six
away from one year with the country. We're at Farmland's
site E one o eight. Well Mark Delatour was a
bit of a disappointment, no cheese from him, but this
(36:43):
man's brought the bacon. Dominic Jones, Managing director of Origin
Capital Partners. And I'm not a media blooder either, because
I'm an investor and your magnificent keywed fruit keywed fruit
growing syndicates. So I'm happy to take some keyw with
fruit off here as long as it's gold.
Speaker 12 (36:59):
Hi j me, thanks for having me. Yes, I've got
gold as you requested. The one thing wrong with your
request is you said not too much and.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Not the other varieties.
Speaker 8 (37:07):
And we'd like to do the opposite of that.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Actually, oh well, I'll get my young kick to drag
it up the hell. Okay, we're going to talk about
how these a lot of rich people out here are
just thinking I want to slice of the keyw fruit industry.
We will do that, but just wrap the season, because
are you done and dusted yet? As all the green
harvests have been done.
Speaker 12 (37:25):
Pretty much ninety percent through the green, I'd say they'll
finish packing it in the next day or so. So look,
we've come off a really really good season record volumes
for zesprey. They're going to export about two hundred and
thirty million trays of kiwifruit. Phenomenal season, and you know,
it's just so good to walk around the field days.
Often we find with our family business of key fruits
(37:47):
having a good year. It's tough and dairy, but at
the moment, dairy kiwi fruit, red meat, long mate continue
and you found.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
A home for all of that extra keyw fruit.
Speaker 12 (37:57):
Well that's Esbri's job, but they will. Big markets are Asia, Europe,
in the US, and in particular the US, believing or
not with tariffs is shooting the lights out, and so's Europe.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Well, there's no tariffs on key with fruit in the
US right at the moment until there is until tomorrow
morning when Trump wakes up. Right. The company is called
Origin Capital Partners, and all seriousness, I have been an
investor in that got a bit of a whacking with cyclone. Gabrielle,
your investment wasn't looking too flash there for a while, Dom,
but you've rarely come good. And a lot of people
(38:29):
are interested in getting a slice of the pie on
a key refruit orchid, but they're very expensive to buy
at the moment, so you're offering effectively syndication.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Yep.
Speaker 12 (38:39):
Look, we we're raising about seventy million dollars which will
come from about one hundred and fifty two hundred investors.
So people invest with us as a way to get
exposure to the sector without having to own an orchard themselves.
Often a lot of our investors are actually existing growers
looking to increase. We have a lot of dairy farmers,
and we have a lot of people out of the city.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Yeah, and if you want to invest in the key
with fruit industry, Origin Capital Partners, I'm doing shameless plug
time here because you bought a box key for it
with you. How do you do it?
Speaker 12 (39:06):
Come on to our website Origincapital Partners dot co dot Nz,
leave a message on there and I'll get in touch
with you personally. Also, if you're at the field days,
I'm around here today and tomorrow and happy to meet
anyone and everyone.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, and if you're in the Bay of Plenty region
or even the Gisbane region, you're happy enough to show
them around some of the farms.
Speaker 8 (39:24):
We do it all the time.
Speaker 12 (39:25):
We've built some fantastic orchards. We're really proud of our investors'
portfolios and we always like showing people around.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Dominic Jones. Great to have your mate, And there we go.
That wraps the country almost for today. We've got the
big Rural Industry Leaders event and debate tonight's Shane Jones
Karen macinnulty. It's going to be some really good debating teams.
We're raising money for the Rural Support Trust. We'll get
that one done and dusted and we'll be back here
tomorrow with Thus said Shane Jones, to kick off the
(39:54):
country till then take care. We're out of here. Jeez,
gone back just like some.
Speaker 9 (40:05):
Catch all.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
The latest from the land. It's the Country Podcast with
Jamie Mackay. Thanks to farmlands, better drenched plans and better
heard health start here.
Catch you all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Farmlands, Better Drenched
Plans and better heard health. Start here.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
From tax to second tail bar away.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
He's just staffing raither room.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
And judge and by the smile tree all his face,
there's nothing I.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Can do The Noon, New Zealand. Good afternoon, The New
Zealand And Good afternoon, Day one of field days here
at Mystery Creek. I'm Jamie mckaye, host of the Country,
broadcasting from the Farmland site. Got a cast of thousands today,
let's get into it. Todd McClay, Minister of Agricultures with
us and I think we've got the Prime Minister, Christopher
(00:47):
luxon on the phone. We'll just get him on and
get him off. Prime Minister. Good afternoon. I'm looking forward
to your company tonight at the big fundraiser for the
Rural Support Trust. And I can tell you I've worked
really hard on a gag for you. I hope you've
got something in return.
Speaker 5 (01:03):
Oh well, Jamie, as a mutually assured destruction, my friend.
If you launched one at me, I'll launch one back
at yea as we did last year. But hey listen,
great to be talking with you, and again thank you
mate for all of your support of the sector and
what you're doing with the Royal Support Trust as well.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
You've been awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well. I think six hundred and thirteen people are going
along to the Claudlands Events Center tonight. The Minister of
Agriculture will be there as well. We're going to When
I say we, Mike Green and his team are going
to raise three four five hundred thousand dollars who knows
how much for the Royal Support Trust. It's magnificent.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Yeah, it's all good stuff. And I just think you know,
we've obviously put some more investments in there last year
as you were aware, and there's a number of great
organizations doing some great work and Royal Support Trust as
one of them for sure. Just making sure that farmers
know that they're getting over the stigma of talking about
how things are for themselves and actually it's about getting
them access to those health and wellbeing services.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Now, your Minister of Agriculture, Todd mclach who's sitting right
beside me here, he was good enough to turn up
in person. You told me you you were too big
of a celebrity to walk down the ile here at
Field Days because everyone wanted to stop and shake your hand.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I will see you at some point. I didn't real
we were talking now, but it's good to be with you.
But isn't he doing a great job that Tom McLay.
You've got to be happy, don't you?
Speaker 6 (02:19):
As a farmer.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
He's opening up new markets.
Speaker 6 (02:21):
All around the world.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
He's getting rid of Wellington out of farming, he's backing
rural New Zealand. He's getting the conditions right for growth.
And you know, just already in a few hours I've
been here just walking around. I mean, you know, Deerry's
on fire, Red Meats are doing well. Will's doing fantastic.
We've got Kiwi fruit going great. And there's really good,
you know, really good feel here, which is great.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
We're going to hear from Tid and just Key's made
a couple of announcements this morning. I think you're making
a big one this afternoon. You're going to let us
in on the secret.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
I won't yet.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
I'm about got to go announce it, I think at
twelve thirty or twelve forty five today, But yeah, again,
we just want to we want the sex to know
where a government that's actually working with them, not doing
things to them. And actually we've got to do our job,
which is making sure we create the conditions for the success, ambition,
aspiration and growth, which is important.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Well, Prime Minister, I know you've got a busy dance
card this afternoon. I'll leave you. Thank you very much
for your time and we will see you tonight at
the big Rural Industry Leaders debate and event. It's going
to be great.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
It'll be lovely Jamie.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
And thanks again for your support mate. We appreciate it
what you do the sector.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Thank you very much for He's a man who's doing
a lot more than me for the sector. He's never
at home. He is the Minister of Agriculture. Todd Maclay.
I wouldn't mind your air points.
Speaker 7 (03:31):
Well, you can have them if you want that, no
problem at all, hey, Jamie. Thanks having on the sun
shining of the white out of the grass is growing
and I've seen at least one farmer that's smiling, so
it's a good start of the day.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
The Prime Minister has a big announcement coming up. He's
got his luncheon and O Todd charteris is out there somewhere.
He's got to go to the lunch. And Lawrence Meredith,
the EU Ambassador's coming on the show. He's got to
get to the lunch, and as do you. You've made
a couple of announcements this morning. One of them around
the Minister of Agricultures Future Leaders Scholarship three being presented annually. Yeah,
(04:03):
that's right.
Speaker 7 (04:04):
So I've been thinking a lot about it the last
sort of four or five months, and how do we
identify the farm leaders of the future and how do
we mentor them and bring them on? And so we're
doing is creating a scholarship. We'll announce it at the
Field Days. Every year three young New Zealanders are going
to mentor they're able to go and do some study
in New Zealand overseas, you know, look at best practice.
(04:25):
How do we start reinvesting in the young farmers of
today and grow those leaders of the future. And so
a little step in the right direction. I'll tell you
what's really pleasing. After we made the announcement at another
event and the Field Days organized themselves come out and
said they thought it was a greater year. They want
to join it and chuck some money and so at
the moment it will be three scholarships year at ten
(04:46):
thousand dollars each. I'm going to go and bend their
arm a little bit. Will grow that because I think
we could do four or five people a year.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
I was choking to the Prime Minister about them being
a big time celebrity not being able to walk down
the aisles and the street here at field days. It's
actually true. He's gets stopped all the time. As to you,
what's the feedback you're getting from the punters at the
coal face, I e. The farmers.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
Look, look, I think there's two things going on. You know,
the sector rightly is feeling good about itself. You know,
you produce the highest quality, safest food and fiber of
any country in the world, and consumers overseas are wanting
it and they're paying more for it. You think about America,
and I was asked the other day, am I frustrated
by what's happening in the States. It's hard to be
(05:29):
frustrated when it happens again and again and again. Feels
like every time, you know, we get inflation down, a
cost down, production up, America does something else. But even
with those tariffs, actually we're selling them about four percent
more by value than we were a year ago. It's
the primary sector. You think about that European Union free
trade agreement which we came to government. We got in
(05:49):
six months before, we're told we could in the first
two years three billion.
Speaker 8 (05:53):
Dollars worth of extra exports.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
The ego, it's the primary sector leading that so across
the board. Farming have a right to feel good, and
I reckon New Zealanders are backing you now. They're recognizing
the importance of what you're doing. The second thing that
I think that I'm noticing is I wander around as
you know, people are happy, but I just want to
get back on the farms and farm some more. We've
(06:17):
worked hard as a coalition government to simplify rules and
get rid of them, get rid of the costs, get
rid of those stupid bloody taxes that Chris Hipkins was
always trying to put on farmers everywhere, and back you
and you should be proud of what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
You got a government.
Speaker 8 (06:30):
It's going to work hard.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
How fortuitous was the timing around the Indian FTO.
Speaker 7 (06:35):
Well, we worked very hard of it. Do you know
April of this year sixteen years ago was the first
negotiation New Zealand had with India and successive governments have had.
As an ambition, Chris Luxon said before the election, we'll
do a deal in her first term. He backed me
to get on a plane and Jamie, I've been there
eight or nine times in the two years. From start
to finish, it took as nine months. I was just
(06:57):
up in Europe last week and I saw the European
Commissioner for Trade and he was a little bit grumpy
with me because I've just done a trade deal. And
his question was Todd, you're only five million people, you're
a little economy. Your deal in many places is better
than how how do you do it? And it comes
to relationship, right, we build a strong relationship with any
(07:18):
of the government and actually I know farmers do well
with it. So in an uncertain world we're not sure
what America is doing and everywhere else, we've got one
point four billion consumers that want what we produce, so
they're willing to pay for it. I think that's going
to be very important for rural New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
And you've done a great job. Then I'm going to
if you one more give you one more, or the
government one more pat on the back, or maybe even
the National Party at the risk of sounding like a
bit of a National Party lackey, but you've proposed the
policy this week doubling funding for the Q two National Trust.
That is the best bang for buck you can get
for conservation. It really really is.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
When I go overseas Agricultural Minister, I've got the easiest
job in the world because our farmer is the best
at what they do and everybody wants to be like you.
When I'm there as Trade Minister, it's a bliming hard
job because you're too good at what you do and
they want to block you from being there. And what
it gets raised occasionally is what is New Zealand doing
about environment? So the doubling of the QIWI Trust fund
(08:13):
means much more doing and this is just helping farmers
to do what they do so very well themselves, which
is to care about the land. We're got some other
announcements this week as well in that space that are
going to help. The PM wouldn't tease for you what
he's about to announce, but let me put it this way.
We've spent three years simplifying roles, making it easier for
you to meet your obligations. You know, the only way
(08:36):
we get to maximize all these trade deals. We're going
to produce more because we now there's more demand for
what we're allowed to produce.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
How about this, If you can show.
Speaker 7 (08:44):
The same or an improved environment of climate foot print,
why shouldn't you be able to do whatever you want
on your own land, you know, choosing a lands to
increase productivity except plant pine trees because I banned that.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
Good on you.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, it's getting a rousing reception here for the anti
CAO and farming rhetoric. Okay, we are waiting for that announcement.
It might come through about twelve thirty. If it does
before the end of the end of the hour, we'll
let you know. Todd Maclay, I know you've got to
go to a dinner. Todd charteris is here and I'm
just looking for the EU Ambassador Lawrence Meredith. Is he
(09:15):
here by any chance? Have we seen him?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
No?
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Okay? Up next to the batter's box after the break,
Chief executive of Rabobank, Todd charteris welcome back. My god,
that music's loud.
Speaker 8 (09:36):
Mark Kelly and Auckland.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Welcome back to the country, broadcasting live from the Farmland site.
Come and join us at e one oh eight. I
found the long lost EU Ambassador Lawrence Meredith. I thought
he'd dumped me for a flash lunch with the Prime Minister.
But I'll start with this man. Todd charteris chief executive
of Rabobank. You're a part owner, all be at a
(09:59):
very small part of the Highlanders, so your heart lies
down on the South. But you go into the foddy
here on Friday night.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Yeah, good afternoon, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (10:06):
Yeah, look, I am a proud Highlander supporter, but we're
out of the season, so yeah, I'm going along chiefs
of my number two teams.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
So go to the chiefs this weekend.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Go to the chiefs. You've got a busy week ahead
of you. Big morning tomorrow morning, the Ravo Bank breakfast.
They're always interesting. I know you've got Todd McLay who
we've just heard from, but also Ben Pickton, who's effectively
the senior economist for Ravo Bank, is based out of Sydney.
Very smart guy.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Yeah, look, really looking forward to that discussion tomorrow.
Speaker 9 (10:33):
I'll run a bit of a pen with those guys,
and I think getting their perspectives on things. You know,
it's pretty obviously a lot going on globally, so having
their perspectives and just understanding I think how us as
New Zealand and agriculture can respond to that be a
good discussion.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 9 (10:50):
We got a big turnout of clients and guests turning
up tomorrow morning, so looking forward.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
To hosting it.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And one thing us bludging members of the media do
is we quickly figure out where the best lunch as
are at field days, and to be fair, it's pretty
hard to go past Africvid. I hear you've pulled out
all the stops for your lunch at Rabobank for your clients.
Speaker 9 (11:10):
We're pretty proud of that, Jamie. We take it pretty serious.
We get a lot of well appreciated hospitality throughout the
year when we're out visiting our clients, so it's our
opportunity to repay that and it's a pretty damn good
lunch and I'll get good feedback and long mate continue.
We also make the point of wherever possible is only
(11:31):
providing produce from our clients, and so that's important for us.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, okay, Urkirk Silver fir and Farms, Barker's Fonterra and
mister Apple. We'll even get an apple if we're good
afterwards after lunch, okay, just before we go. You're a
big supporter of this Rural Support Trust fundraiser, the Rural
Industry Leaders event and debate tonight. It's going to be
so good. Shane Jones leading the charge on the debate.
You've got a silent auction item and currently it's sitting
(11:58):
on I think seven grand. It's a spot on the
twenty twenty seven Rabobank Farm Managers Program and you can
bid on this on bidder, I think is it.
Speaker 9 (12:07):
Yeah, Look, I'm not actually sure it's on their website,
but it's a great event and we're proud to support that.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
Last year, as you say, Jamie, it was a huge event.
Speaker 9 (12:16):
This tonight's going to be massive and just such a
good cause and really looking forward to it. And yeah,
encourage people if you're you know, the Minister earlier was
talking about growing leadership in the industry and I think
this is a great opportunity our Farm Managers program as
part of that. So courage people to take a look
and bid up it goes to a good cause.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Okay, enjoy the rugby on Saturday night, Todd McLay told McLay,
let's try told Charter on Friday, yes too, I shouldn't
have a late night on a school night and go
the Highlanders for next year. So that's Todd Charter's chief
executive of Rabobank. Now that I finally got his name right,
because he's got to go and have lunch and rub
shoulders with the Prime Minister. He'll be listening for that
(12:56):
big announcement. Here's a special guest. This man knows on
late nighters because I had one with them in christ
Church last year at the Primary Industry New Zealand Awards.
This is Lawrence Meredith. He's the EU Ambassador to New
Zealand and Todd McLay. Lawrence good afternoon. By the way,
was just saying how much one of the European trade
ministers was pitching about us getting a better deal with
(13:17):
India than you guys did.
Speaker 8 (13:20):
Good to see you, Jamie, I was.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
I don't think i've ever seen you drinking water before,
so it's always new.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
That's the pot calling the kettle black, my friend. So
this EU trade deal has been very useful for us.
I know you certainly do your bit and improving relations.
You do a great job here in New Zealand. But
we've got the EU, We've got obviously the UK, now
we've got China and we're about to get India. I mean,
how good's that?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
I just quote that bloke Minister McLay who said that
Europe's New Zealand's fastest growing export market. So up three
billion dollars since December twenty three. The New Zealand EU
free trade agreements going gang busters.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
So what's sure and what capacity are you serving here
at field Days?
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Field Days is the largest agricultural show in the Southern
Hemisphere and this is the place to be. So we're delayed.
We've got the largest ever European presence. We're going to
do the first ever European Union New Zealand agri Innovation
Lunch tomorrow with Minister McLay and we've got ten ambassadors
from the European Union here at the show.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I know you do have to go to lunch, so
we'll look at you. Going to the Primary Industry in
New Zealand Awards this year.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I'm going to the Primer Industry Summer.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Absolutely seeing you there, and the awards are on the
Tuesday night as well. I know you've got to go
to lunch with the Prime Minister and with Todd Charter
A soul Lets you go, Lawrence. Always good to see him, mate,
You keep up the good work. He does right job
as the EU ambassador here in New Zealand. We're going
to take a break. You'd see him if he was here,
because he's like two meters tall. We'll look on the
(14:58):
lookout for Sam white life, but I've got a special
guest coming up. If i can't find Sam Whitelock and
I'm looking down the lane there can't see him. One
of the keynote speakers this morning on the Farmlands panel
a guy by the name of Tim Ewing Javi. He's
the managing director of Horizon Lab and he's all about
global risk and future scenarios and he had some really
(15:21):
interesting things to say this morning about how and when
the Strait of Hermuz might or might not open. So
we'll go with Tim up next and hopefully Sam Whitelock
as well. You're with the Country. We're at Farmland's site
E one eight. It's twelve twenty three, will be back
after the break stuff? Where against is your shirt breaks?
(15:47):
Welcome back to the country twenty six after twelve. We're
looking for Sam Whitelock. I'm sure we'll see him when
he wanders down with his two meter frame. He is,
of course these days the farm strong ambassador, but filling
the breach very shit. Notice another rugby player where he
looks like a rugby player to me anyhow, And I
was on a panel with him this morning. Tim Ewing Javi,
(16:07):
managing director for Horizon Lab. You're all about global risk
and future scenarios, especially around the Middle East, But you
do look like a rugby player? Are you still lacing
up the boots?
Speaker 8 (16:18):
Not lacing up anymore? But I'll take the compliment.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Chess.
Speaker 10 (16:20):
Maybe not quite Sam white lock level, but horror for noua. Yeah,
Eastern while I was coming up through age grade and
then disappeared off to play for the army and defense teams.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
After that, Well, you've got an army background. How do
you get from army background to a stratagist around global risk?
Speaker 8 (16:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (16:35):
I went for a bit of a grand adventure, so
I came up as an infature officer did some specialist
training and then very long story short, during COVID, I
was in Afghanistan, had a hard time getting back into
the country, so I got parachuted off into the Pentagon instead.
It's been a few years in the States. Did you
get to meet Trump while you were there? Nope, but
I saw his modicaiated go past couple of times.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Like coach, let's talk about some of the stuff you
were talking about this morning. You painted four scenarios for
the Middle East straight off a mouz over this conflict
we've got at in the Middle East at the moment,
between the Americans and Iran, and then you've got the
side battle between Hezbollah and Israel. Obviously you weren't that
(17:18):
positive about this ending quickly.
Speaker 10 (17:21):
Yeah, I mean I think there's sort of there's four
broadways to look at this in terms of planning cases,
and you have to update these as new material comes
to hand. But I would say the best case is
we get a durable deal. At the moment we're negotiating
for a deal, to make a deal, so setting our
principles to get the straight opens and some non negotiables
and then we can start talking.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
So getting that durable deal.
Speaker 10 (17:44):
I'd put in maybe a sort of ten to fifteen
percent probability band in.
Speaker 8 (17:47):
The short term.
Speaker 10 (17:49):
Your worst case, obviously is a return to a full
regional escalation. Again, I'd probably park that between ten and
fifteen percent of probability.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Because effectively both of those nations don't want to go
to war.
Speaker 8 (18:00):
Well, they both, it's not quite that simple.
Speaker 10 (18:02):
They have high ideological drivers, particularly in Iran, so it's
not just a case of making a humanitarian or economically
pragmatic deal.
Speaker 8 (18:13):
And the US isn't a wee bit of a quagmire, so.
Speaker 10 (18:16):
You know, they'll have some hard strategic ends to meet.
Your base case is more likely to be a fragile deal,
which is more like a frozen conflict, sort of an
extension of what we have now. The Iranians will be
quite happy to sort of slow roll that process as
best as they can.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
But won't they go broken the interim The short answer
is probably.
Speaker 10 (18:37):
They do still have some material support from the likes
of Russia and China and some of their supporting states.
But the other thing is, you know, we're not dealing
with a unitary political actor the way we're used to,
you know, like our government who makes arch rational choice
for a country we're talking about the revolutionary leadership. Then
they've got a double house parliament. Then you've got the
(19:00):
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps who are sworn to protect the revolution,
and then you've got a commisional military. So when you
think about trying to align all those different actors in
the different power centers and getting them to agree on
a particular a particular deal, the one thing they can't
do is lose face.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So if I'm a punter sitting out there and there's
a lovely crowd out in front of the heat today,
more importantly, a bigger crowd hopefully listening on the radio.
The short answers don't expect fuel prices to drop anytime soon.
Speaker 10 (19:28):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not an economist, but I guess
my contribution to that broader discussion would be the IEA,
in essential Energy agency, has warned of about a six
million barrel deficit throughout the rest of the year, and
because there's been a lot of damage to energy infrastructure
and a few shut ins on the rigs, it's going
to take a bit of time to get production back
(19:48):
up to where it needs to be. For shipping companies,
to get their confidence back up and insures to eat
some of those prices.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
And a final word, because I think Sam Whitelock's here
is he we're getting a thumbs up? Yeah, okay, we'll
get him over here. Thanks. And new US tariffs around
forced labor. Isn't this a bit rich coming from Trump
because a lot of the American goods are produced maybe
not with force labor, but also with cheap labor. But
(20:16):
you're saying this could have big repercussions, for instance, our
solar power industry.
Speaker 8 (20:23):
Yeah, it's an interesting one.
Speaker 10 (20:25):
I couldn't really speak to precedent from the States, but
you know, we knew that the Trump administration we're looking
for another legal avenue to roll out their tariffs, and
certainly it would be doubly beneficial for them if they
can score some points on China at the same time.
So we know that in particular Xinjiang province up in
the northwest are the heavily involved in solar grades polysilicon
(20:49):
that goes into your panels.
Speaker 11 (20:50):
And the like.
Speaker 10 (20:50):
So it's an interesting case study of how a small
maritime trading nation can get stuck between big players who
have got a squarter settle.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Well tim ewing Javi Man, director of Horizon Lab. Great
job filling in at short notice, mate, well done. From
one rugby player to another, arches horror Fana to this bloke.
Played a bit of rugby for the All Blacks. In fact,
one hundred and fifty three games for the All Blacks.
Samuel White lot, great to see you here, Samuel. Now
here's a question for you. Do you reckon Bowden? Barrett
(21:19):
can hang in there and break your record.
Speaker 8 (21:22):
Of course again. Good morning you everyone.
Speaker 11 (21:24):
I think it's all an afternoon yet. Yeah, it's been
an early start this morning. Came up from the mentor too.
But it's good to be here and it's a beautiful
day here and looking forward to having a bit of
a look around and having a bit of a young.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
You're here and your capacity as a farm Strong ambassador.
There's lots of people go through farm Strong over the
four days at field Days. What's the vibe.
Speaker 8 (21:44):
Yeah, the ViBe's awesome.
Speaker 11 (21:46):
It's cool having people come in and just have a
you on and work out you know, what's been happening
and what they've been up to, and it's always nice
to just do that to the fad and have a
cup of tea and see where everyone's at.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You were sheep and beef farming and hawks play. I
think you sold that property, had a beautiful property, did
you sell it?
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Yes, No, we've just moved back to the family farm.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
To the dairy farm, which is a beautiful dairy farm too.
I might add I've been lucky enough to have a
look around it. So how many white lock boys are
milk and cows there now?
Speaker 11 (22:15):
Yeah, so we've taken over the one half of mom
and dads and mild by the George's on the other half.
So we're totally separate, but obviously sheer information being next
door to each other.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
And is there a bit of competition, Yeah, there's some
friendly competition.
Speaker 11 (22:31):
And I hate to say history is repeating with the
cousins being the next thing. And they all had cross
country the other day, and they all did pretty well,
and they were all working out who got first and
who got second, and they're not teasing each other, but
they're just suddenly having little digs at each other who
did well and who probably could have done.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So it was a strategic move to get away from
sheep and beef goud to dairy.
Speaker 11 (22:53):
I was just a really hard decision. I've actually ran
into a couple of neighbors that walking here before, and
I really loved our time Hawks Bay, the people, the weather,
the community, the style of farming.
Speaker 8 (23:05):
Really enjoyed.
Speaker 11 (23:05):
And it was probably just that that pool of the
family history and having you know, a brother next door
and you know, the beautiful family, having that rural upbringing
that we had, of just bucking down the road and
kind of disappeared for a couple of hours. No one
really knows where you are, but you know that you're
either here or here or here.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Plus it helps that your old man Braden Braiden and Caroline.
Sorry about that, Braiden, if you're listening, it helps that
he's that they together have created a beautiful farming operation
for you guys. RIDI I live well, share well with
Roland Smith. There's another great Hawks Bay man, and I
think he's here tomorrow. Going to try and get him
(23:46):
on the show.
Speaker 11 (23:47):
You know, he'd be awesome to come on the show.
He's amazing, amazing man, achieved some amazing things. His lovely
wife is exactly the same. I had to share a
couple of sheep in front of him, so it was
a little bit embarrassing, but we got the wall off them.
I didn't cut them too bad. And it's always good
when you've got a camera that you can kind of
take a few things out and make it look pretty okay.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
A couple to finish on big game of Foddy here
on Friday night. Of course, you're a crusader man through
and through. They will start or will they start as
underdogs against the Chiefs?
Speaker 8 (24:21):
Yeah, massive game.
Speaker 11 (24:23):
I think it's a time of year that no one
really knows what it is and it doesn't matter what
the former has been beforehand. But obviously Chiefs at home,
so they probably got the favorite tag on them, and
you know that they deserve to have that because they've
been playing well.
Speaker 8 (24:39):
And that's why.
Speaker 11 (24:40):
You know, in the competition, if you play well, you
get that home advantage and most teams make most of it.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
And I think the Hurricanes will tidy up the Blues.
Can any either of those sides beat the Hurricanes if
that was to come to pass.
Speaker 11 (24:53):
I honestly think with all the games, it doesn't actually
matter who's playing. You know, through my career I was
lucky enough to, you know, get it right a couple
of times, and it's only by a small percentage you
come out on the right side. If you get it
wrong by only a little bit, you can get a
few points put on you. So it's one of those
ones that it's a beautiful thing about sport. It doesn't
(25:13):
matter what the form says, who's hot favorite, it's on
the day and sometimes eighty minutes can separate teams pretty quickly.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
May not allowed to duck for cover. On my final question,
the All Black team will be announced very shortly for
the June series. There'll be know Scott Barrett, which is
a real shame because I think he's a great lock
and I know you locked a lot of rugby scrums
with them, So bearing in mind he's not there, who
are the two starting locks? Do you reckon for the
All Blacks for the June or July series?
Speaker 11 (25:44):
I think you and I would be a pretty good combination.
I'm not sure he's going to play tight head and
who's going to play loose head, but I'm sure we'll
work that out at training on the first day.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
No, no, not you and I. Come on, seriously, there's
so many good young locks coming through. The young guy
from Canterbury.
Speaker 11 (25:58):
For Yeah, so Jamie been playing well, but I think
that's the cool thing is there's ACTI competition there and
working out with a new coaching setup who they want
to pick, who they can see developing in. Sometimes it
comes down to combinations. You know, have these people played
together before?
Speaker 8 (26:18):
You know?
Speaker 11 (26:18):
Are they both a similar style or do you have
But like you and I on the braun and you're
the brain.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
So I think that's why I go back with my
original arm.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I'm meant to do the jokes on the show. Samuel
Whitelocke not you. Thank you very much for your time.
I really appreciate it. You doing a great job as
the farmstrong ambassador, and I know you are truly genuine
and passionate about the course. Samuel Whitelock There, We're going
to take a break on the other side of it,
rural news and sports news before the end of the hour.
Mark Delatour, who's the chief executive of Open Country Derry.
(26:50):
I hope he's bringing a block of cheese and dominic
jones from Origin Capital Partners. A lot of rich people
sitting in front of me here. Have I got a
deal for you when it comes to investing in the
Kiwi fruit industry, Will be back after the break. Yes,
and welcome back to the country. We are at Farmlands,
one of our naming sponsors on the country. The other
one is, of course, is Suzi. You've just heard about them.
(27:12):
Now if we've got a deal for you, I've got
a deal for you on Kiwi fruit and the deal
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(27:35):
the strength and durability to handle whatever the farm or
whatever job on the farm or the site throws at
you season after season. And if you need extra seats,
do what I do. Drive an m Ux suv gives
you seven of them, same engine, same towing power as
the Dmax, just room for the family or if you
like me, fold the seats down. You can get in
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(27:57):
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time to talk to your local Isuzu dealer. Get out
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Ux comes with every new Isuzu backed by the double
tough six year warranty for genuine peace of mind. Head
into your local Isuzu dealership and see what they can
do for you. Here's Michelle Watt with the latest and
(28:19):
rural observations.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
The country's world news with god Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower Bread. Visit steel Ford dot co
dot Nz for your locals doggist.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
All right, we finally got her out of Belkloth, first
time in Hamilton for the field days. What did you
make of it? We've put on a beautiful day for you.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
It's somewhat overwhelming.
Speaker 12 (28:38):
I feel a little bit like the young working dog
that's finally been allowed out.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
That's what I feel like. All right, Well that was
short and short and sharp. No, No, it's fabulous And
you've literally only been in the media center. We've been
flat out here at the Farmland site this afternoon if
you get time, because we're wandering down to do some
stuff with the IHC CARF and Rural Scheme at PGG. Right,
and so we're going to show you the other end
of the Field Days as well. Look, Michelle, I do
(29:04):
need to have we got some sports news. We've got
a sports news liner there somewhere. Thank you, Mark.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Sports on the Country with fco Key.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
We owned. That's rare.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Now, Michelle, your screen is disgusting. It is absolutely disgusting.
It is full of dust and goodness knows what you
had for lunch. I love I love Field Days. Now
all about this now and let me see if I
can read through the dust and the food scraps that
are on your screen. Former Black Hips test opener Mark Richardson,
this is a challenge. Hopes we haven't seen the last
(29:36):
of Ben Stokes, an international cricket Speculation is mounting that
Stokes may stand down following the nightclub incident, currently currently
under investigation. Mark Richardson has said that would be a
sad way for his career to end, and also to
All Black's coach jud Flavel has recalled guard Thie Webster
(29:57):
for next month's Basketball World Cup Quali against the Philippines
and Guam and Auckland. That's your sports news back after
the break. I see him out there. The chief executive
of Open Country Dairy has he got a block of
cheese with him. No, no, well, I'm not sure if
he's going to get on the program. He's got what
a Mark Delatour on and hopefully Dominic Jones to talk
(30:19):
Kiwi fruit there. He goes there before the end of
the hour. We'll be back after the break. You're with
the Country at Farmland's. It is seventeen away from one.
Welcome back to the Country. We're at the Farmland site
E one. Oh. There's a lot happening here, and there's
a lot happening at the Open Country Dairy site as well.
(30:39):
The chief executive, Mark Delatour, joints us you normally come
bearing gifts. I mean, I'm looking for my block of
Open Country cheese. And I don't want to sound like
a media bludger, but I'm actually a sharehold, not a shareholder.
I'm a supplier. So you can give me a block
of cheese. I'll give it to my young tech from
Auckland here. He can take it home.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Checks in the mail journey.
Speaker 8 (31:00):
I'm good for a couple of blocks in a minute.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Okay, what's happening with Open Country at field Days this year.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I've got out our usual big stand. It's a lot
of fun. We've got the usual cheese tasting. We've got
beer and wine and maybe maybe a few gins lader
on this afternoon to pair with the cheese.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
A little bit of difference.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
At two o'clock, we've got butter and bubbles, so a
bit of a combination there. But we've started a new
butter plant this year, so we thought we'd put through
a butter theme in there, and.
Speaker 8 (31:27):
I'll mix it with some bubbles.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I'll think i'll respectfully decline the invitation. I've got an
end with Rowena, the big Rural Support Trust fundraiser tonight
at Claudland's events, and I understand you're going to be
there and you've got a celebrity stacked table and including
that journalist of the year Riley Kennedy from Business Tests.
Speaker 8 (31:46):
Yeah, that Riley's there. Riley's there, so that it'll be
a good night.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
I think we'll just have to make sure he doesn't
drink all the drink before we get started.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Or eat all the food anyhow. So we've finished the
twenty five twenty six season. You know, I don't want
to bring up Fonterra, but there, I guess the yard
stick they'll come out with their final price in about September,
but it's pretty much locked and loaded around that nine
seventy mark. What about open country.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, we've just just a couple of days ago put
out our new price for the for the last period,
the final period for our milk season. You know, that's
that's the May period milk that's paid out July and August.
So that's it between nine to sixty and ten. So
that of course, depending on the farm across your four periods,
that depends on what.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
The average will be.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
But for you, but we'll be there or thereabouts as
we always are, Jami.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
The next next season is what we're focusing on.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Okay, well, let's have a look at the next season.
Fonterra started reasonably bullishly, didn't they. What were they? Nine
seventy nine to seventy five?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, I guess the point is that the forecasts somewhere
between the season being an absolute disaster jams.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Eight dollars or an absolute moonbeam season. Dairy companies can
be saved by.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Know we've got the season next year about nine to
fifty nine to ninety so, you know, it's that sniper
mentality of aimes small miss small.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
I guess in the forecast.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It's interesting that for two years in a row, Fonterra
has done exactly that. They've started their forecast milk price
range last season and this season between eight dollars and
eleven dollars, but they haven't used the mathematical midpoint.
Speaker 6 (33:24):
That's right, I guess.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I guess it's you know, we're probably taking a position
of you know, we want to attract capital to the
industry who want to check more milk, to the industry,
more farmers, and to do that, giving some sense of
clarity on the way forward is the best way to
do that. So you know, well, will it be in
that range? Will it be in our midpoint.
Speaker 6 (33:43):
For next season? We'll probably be wrong.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
But again Aimes small miss Small, and we think that's
a good guy for farmers.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
We were talking this morning on the Farmlands Panel to
a guy by the name of Tim Ewing Jarvie who
was kind enough to give us some of his time
today on the show. He's into global risk and future scenarios,
and the futures rather cloudy, and that's probably a nice
way of describing it. We live in a tumultuous sort
of world and when I think about New Zealand as
(34:12):
an exporting nation. Everything we export has to be transported
to markets, often a long way from home, so that
doesn't bode well just for the cost of getting to
market no matter what you're doing in this country. And
we'll talk about key we fruit in a minute.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
Yeah, definitely, I think you know, fuel costs and access
to market. You know, the Middle East isn't really buying
for dairy at the moment because they simply don't know
whether we'll be able to get the product to market.
So of course you know there is some challenges in
that area. But in Europe is supplying Middle East with
a lot of product now. But of course if the
European products going to the Middle East, it opens up
(34:48):
gaps around the rest of the world. What we do
know is fat and protein consumption across the globe is lifting.
There's always challenges. We just back ourselves to adapt so
no season will be the same. People are eating more
protein and people are eating more natural fats.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
That's got to be a good thing.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Let's talk about this protein boom off the back of
these GLP one, the diet drugs. This is a new
market that effectively didn't exist even two or three years ago.
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
But I mean it's new, but it's not. You know,
I guess the GLP we won, drugs or medicines are
enhancing it. But it's not that different than you know,
the Yadkins died and the likes and people have known
it for a while that sugar is the enemy. Natural
protein and natural fats are actually healthy for you. Just
back in the Richard Simmons nineteen seventies days, it was
(35:37):
you know, eat sugar cereals for breakfast and jump up
and down. But we know now that that's actually not
eating as nature and suggested is the best thing.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
One more question for you, Mark Delator. Then I'm going
to talk key we fruit. We talked in this country
in the early twenty ten's about peak dairy. We said
we'd got there, we didn't want to go back there.
But are we going back there again?
Speaker 6 (35:58):
Now?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Are we going back to the future?
Speaker 6 (36:00):
I hope so, I hope so.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
I don't think New Zealand's anywhere near peak derry.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
I think the.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Likes of environmentally, can we handle it?
Speaker 6 (36:06):
Yeah? We can. I think there's plenty of here.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
This is just like everything what we're going to be
careful of is New Zealanders were really good at swinging
from one extreme to the other. I think if we
just look at the right appropriate land use, we can
certainly produce a hell of a lot more dairy in
this country.
Speaker 6 (36:20):
And if we're going to double export earnings, we'll need.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
To, Okay, Mark Delatore, chief executive of Open Country Dairy.
Wrapping the show, we're going to talk key we fruit
with Dominic Jones from Origin Capital Partners. That is six
away from one year with the country. We're at Farmland's
site E one o eight. Well Mark Delatour was a
bit of a disappointment, no cheese from him, but this
(36:43):
man's brought the bacon. Dominic Jones, Managing director of Origin
Capital Partners. And I'm not a media blooder either, because
I'm an investor and your magnificent keywed fruit keywed fruit
growing syndicates. So I'm happy to take some keyw with
fruit off here as long as it's gold.
Speaker 12 (36:59):
Hi j me, thanks for having me. Yes, I've got
gold as you requested. The one thing wrong with your
request is you said not too much and.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Not the other varieties.
Speaker 8 (37:07):
And we'd like to do the opposite of that.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Actually, oh well, I'll get my young kick to drag
it up the hell. Okay, we're going to talk about
how these a lot of rich people out here are
just thinking I want to slice of the keyw fruit industry.
We will do that, but just wrap the season, because
are you done and dusted yet? As all the green
harvests have been done.
Speaker 12 (37:25):
Pretty much ninety percent through the green, I'd say they'll
finish packing it in the next day or so. So look,
we've come off a really really good season record volumes
for zesprey. They're going to export about two hundred and
thirty million trays of kiwifruit. Phenomenal season, and you know,
it's just so good to walk around the field days.
Often we find with our family business of key fruits
(37:47):
having a good year. It's tough and dairy, but at
the moment, dairy kiwi fruit, red meat, long mate continue
and you found.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
A home for all of that extra keyw fruit.
Speaker 12 (37:57):
Well that's Esbri's job, but they will. Big markets are Asia, Europe,
in the US, and in particular the US, believing or
not with tariffs is shooting the lights out, and so's Europe.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Well, there's no tariffs on key with fruit in the
US right at the moment until there is until tomorrow
morning when Trump wakes up. Right. The company is called
Origin Capital Partners, and all seriousness, I have been an
investor in that got a bit of a whacking with cyclone. Gabrielle,
your investment wasn't looking too flash there for a while, Dom,
but you've rarely come good. And a lot of people
(38:29):
are interested in getting a slice of the pie on
a key refruit orchid, but they're very expensive to buy
at the moment, so you're offering effectively syndication.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Yep.
Speaker 12 (38:39):
Look, we we're raising about seventy million dollars which will
come from about one hundred and fifty two hundred investors.
So people invest with us as a way to get
exposure to the sector without having to own an orchard themselves.
Often a lot of our investors are actually existing growers
looking to increase. We have a lot of dairy farmers,
and we have a lot of people out of the city.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Yeah, and if you want to invest in the key
with fruit industry, Origin Capital Partners, I'm doing shameless plug
time here because you bought a box key for it
with you. How do you do it?
Speaker 12 (39:06):
Come on to our website Origincapital Partners dot co dot Nz,
leave a message on there and I'll get in touch
with you personally. Also, if you're at the field days,
I'm around here today and tomorrow and happy to meet
anyone and everyone.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, and if you're in the Bay of Plenty region
or even the Gisbane region, you're happy enough to show
them around some of the farms.
Speaker 8 (39:24):
We do it all the time.
Speaker 12 (39:25):
We've built some fantastic orchards. We're really proud of our investors'
portfolios and we always like showing people around.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Dominic Jones. Great to have your mate, And there we go.
That wraps the country almost for today. We've got the
big Rural Industry Leaders event and debate tonight's Shane Jones
Karen macinnulty. It's going to be some really good debating teams.
We're raising money for the Rural Support Trust. We'll get
that one done and dusted and we'll be back here
tomorrow with Thus said Shane Jones, to kick off the
(39:54):
country till then take care. We're out of here. Jeez,
gone back just like some.
Speaker 9 (40:05):
Catch all.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
The latest from the land. It's the Country Podcast with
Jamie Mackay. Thanks to farmlands, better drenched plans and better
heard health start here.
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