Feed for Thought

Tune in as Jen Corkran, Senior Animal Protein Analyst at Rabobank, shares her expertise on converting grass into protein and explores current market trends in New Zealand’s primary sector. 

The conversation begins inside the farm gate, drawing on Jen’s 12 years of experience in agronomy and farm systems. Jen unpacks the fundamentals of pasture management and insights into modern pasture varieties. Top-performing operators, she notes...

 Tune in as Matt and Simon Begley, local Area Manager, sit down with Frank Briant to delve into the story of the Briant Brothers’ operation in Patutahi, Gisborne. This episode highlights how the diverse 520ha operation, which consists of maize grain, Pioneer seed production maize, livestock, kiwifruit, grapes, citrus, squash, and popcorn, has weathered challenges and thrived through strategic diversification and family succession. 

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Tune in as we welcome Fiona and Tom Langsford, winners of the NZ Share Farmers of the Year. Alongside taking out the overall prize, the Langford’s also took home the Sustainable Pasture, Business Performance, Environmental Sustainability, People & Culture, Leadership, Farm Safety, Health & Biosecurity, and Experience 2025 Dairy Industry Awards. In this episode, the team share their journey of balancing on-farm excellence at...

Recorded on the Rural Roadie, tune in as Matt and Wade sit down in the caravan with Canterbury farmer, Will Bailey, to discuss the impact of a newly built feed pad infrastructure on his dairy farm operation. 

The team delve into Will’s feeding strategy and how targeted investments can deliver valuable returns. The 300-metre feeding face accommodates up to 400 cows whilst eliminating wastage. Beyond these efficiencies, the system has...

Tune in as Wade and Matt Towers, local Area Manager, sit down with Dave Swney, the 2025 maize silage catalogue cover and Waikato Dairy Farmer. Dave shares his journey of returning to the family dairy farm, transforming it into a sustainable and efficient System 5 operation south of Te Awamutu. 

In this episode, Dave shares the challenges faced over this period, including learning the importance of ‘time budgeting’, dealing with heal...

Tune in to our latest episode with Taranaki farmers Craig Lynskey and Kieran Bourke as they share their journey transitioning from spring to autumn calving and the strategic advantages of this approach. The team discuss how increasing mild winters and challenging summer droughts pushed them toward this strategic shift. "Our growth rates through summer are often in single digits, yet consistently 40-45 in most winters," Ki...

Field Operations Manager, Duncan Grant, shares his decade-long journey from field technician to leading the field operations in Gisborne. Discover the strategies and challenges of coordinating contract growers to maintain seed purity and manage cross-pollination risks. Learn from Duncan's insights the dynamic planning needed to tackle logistical hurdles presented by unpredictable weather conditions to produce some of New Zeala...

In our first episode of the year, Logan Dawson, 2024 Waikato Share Farmer of the Year (alongside wife, Sian Dawson), joins Wade and Matt to share his farming journey to managing an 880-cow share milking business in the Waikato. 

The team explores Logan and Sian’s system, examining how split calving and precise diets boost milk production. Logan explains balancing pasture and supplements to achieve high production metrics while keepi...

In our last episode for the year, Matt and Wade are thrilled to be joined by a familiar face and former Feed for Thought host, Ian Williams. Ian's travels to the US earlier this year brought him face-to-face with exceptional farming practices and an unforgettable salmon fishing trip guided by a former scientist. With Ian's vivid storytelling, you'll hear about the shared dedication and adaptations of farmers worldwid...

In this episode, the team unpack the intricacies of managing one of Australia’s largest feedlot operations with special guest, Ben Carrigan, the General Manager of Commodities, Farms, and Transport at Mort & Co. Australia.  You’ll gain insights into the complex feed composition and innovative practices that set Mort & Co. apart. Ben takes us through their diversified business model that includes not only feed lotting and br...

With a rich family history in dairy farming, Michael Phillips and Andrew Evans (Bubbles) join Matt and Wade to discuss the strategy behind cows, comfort and compost at Dannevirke-based dairy farming operation, Waka Dairies.  

Michael and Bubbles discuss the strategic shifts made as part of Waka Dairies' succession plan, with leadership and team culture, and infrastructure improvements at the core. The team delve into the impact...

Simon Nitschke, the Arable Farmer of the Year, Maize Farmer of the Year, and National Pioneer Yield Cup winner, joins Matt and Wade to discuss the strategy and success of Rangitikei enterprise, Arable Solutions. 
 
This episode explores supply and demand management, particularly for maize grain. We discuss the impact of market fluctuations, the importance of forward planning, and how collaboration with end users can be a ga...

With a passion for dairy farming, Logan Scott, Te Awamutu East and South Waikato Area Manager and small block owner brings a unique perspective on land and crop management, maize and agronomy.  This episode delves into Logan’s agronomy knowledge, sharing strategies for identifying potential issues and guiding effective management decisions, particularly through the critical V3 to V6 growth stages of maize. Join the team in this eng...

Rural Professional of the Year and Senior Lecturer in Agribusiness and Management at Lincoln University, Dan Smith, joins Wade and Matt on this episode to share his strategies for nurturing future-ready students. You'll hear about his dynamic approach to equipping students with timeless skills covering the key competencies for young agricultural professionals to succeed in the rapidly evolving industry. 

Dan shares the initiati...

Interested in understanding how you can mitigate feed quality losses? In this episode, Matt is joined by Shaun Body, our Portfolio Manager, and Helen France, our Hawke's Bay, Tararua & Wairarapa Area Manager, to discuss the value proposition of inoculant and how to get more value from your grass silage by minimising the drop in quality.

If you have any questions about using spring inoculants, please contact your contractor,...

Join us as Jo Bills, Director for Global Insights at EverAg, breaks down the differences in supply chain dynamics, pasture-based efficiencies, and export strategies between New Zealand and Australia. Learn how Australia’s more productive cows compare to New Zealand's pasture-based herds. We also touch on greenhouse gas emissions and Fonterra's strategic manoeuvres, providing a comprehensive outlook on the unique challenge...

In this episode, international guest Grant Groene, the former Global Seed Agronomy Lead for Pioneer US, joins Dr. Rowland Tsimba, National Research and Agronomy Manager, Wade and Matt to delve into global agronomy and future crop development.

Together, the team discuss the process of genetic development in maize, from the rigorous testing of hybrids to the impressive yield advancements achieved in different environments. Also, they ...

Raewyn Densley joins us to discuss AgFirst’s recent Our Land and Water funded project. Our Land and Water aims to enhance the production and productivity of New Zealand’s primary sector while maintaining and improving the quality of the country’s land and water for future generations. 

Raewyn covers the global grain market shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. She explores how these factors i...

Join us as we explore the intersection between farm efficiency and reducing emissions with Malcolm Ellis, Fonterra's Strategic Advisor. Malcolm shares the difference between emissions intensity and absolute emissions and discusses Fonterra's strategic initiatives to support farmers in making impactful changes.
 
 The team balances animal efficiency and environmental sustainability by examining the contrasts in pro...