February 13, 2025 • 6 mins
Federated Farmers' Meatloaf and Wool Chair (and Gisborne farmer) comments on the two-year anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle today, National Lamb Day tomorrow and, of course, Valentine's Day!
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Toby Williams Federated Farmers Meet and woel chair. That's hardly romantic.
It's a bit hot and heavy, isn't it for a
Valentine's Day song?
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good Afternoon?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
I thought it actually really closely. You know, we've got
Valentine's Day and naturally and day to morow, so we've
got a love song and Meatloaf to just magic together. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Well, meat Loaf was pretty good. You see, you picked
it up second time round. I'm of a generation where
this this album only seven songs on it. Meatloaf came
out when I was eighteen. It was a seminal part
of my life.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Yeah, and I say that he was a civil state
of my life as well as obviously in school and
then the university is an amazing artist and enduring legacy.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
But missus Williams four for this she did?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Actually yeah, it was actually Jamie twenty five years ago.
Today we actually officially got together.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Oh wow, wonderful on Valentine's Day. You'll never forget that. Okay,
let's get serious for a webit. NU, No, I won't.
I'll start with I'll start with the two year anniversary
of cycclone Gabrielle, you are a Gisbon sheep and beef farmer.
What are your memories? Have you fully recovered? We talked
to Sandra Faulkner a wee bit earlier in the week.
(01:21):
They've still got diggers out on the farms.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, no, we haven't fully recovered. And there's a lot
of things you'll probably got about not six seven k's
of fencing realistically to strange enough and take the neting
off and put posts back in. But we stop proof
enough and there's our slips have pretty much healed now.
We've got a good strong country and we went too
badly affected with more slumps. But it was one of
the most eerie days waking up on the fourteenth of
(01:43):
a couple of years ago when we woke up and
we had no power and no internet, and fortunately I
had Sky and we sat there watching the news and
there was nothing about Gisbon. You know, a little bit
about body wipe and akand with those poor firefighters lost
their lives and that was about it. And two or
three days so we sort of realized that well didn't
know we were completely cut off.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yeah, Well, and what happened that Mirrouai was an absolute disaster.
But I guess in terms of being really thumped hard,
maybe I'm not doing west Auckland. Oh maybe I'm doing
them a disservice here, But I think some of the
really brutal damage was obviously done on the east coast
of the North Island from where you are down to
the Wira Rappa.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, well from north of Media we lost all those
bridges and you know, and a lot of you know,
there's lives of those people and a lot of live
stock and a lot of farming people have had long
term consequences to their to their farms, to their mental
health and you know, and to their careers really, so
it was a really tough day. And also remembering two
weeks before we had cycle hail come through, so we're
(02:47):
pretty well beaten up by then.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Okay, On a brighter note, National Lamb Day tomorrow. We
had the National Lamb Day precursor of the barbecue AT's
on the Speaker's Lawn at Parliament on Tuesday. Was a
great day to be in Wellington with all everything kicking
off around Seymour and the land Rover more about that
and the tick. But what are you doing tomorrow with
missus Williams.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah, we're gonna throw some lamdwrecks on the barbie and
grab some mates around and it might even been really
generous to write my staff rout and you know, and
we'll have a bit of a fry up. It's the
national thing we should be doing, you know, celebrating what
you know, what built our nation, you know, wall and
sheep meat was what made our nation greaton we're fortunate
at the moment we've got dairy cows continuing that.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, I don't think sheep farming is an industry industry
of the past, Toby. It's not a sunset industry as
Roger Douglas and David Longey described it in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I think it's on the way back.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah, well, i'd like to say it is. You know,
we're getting good returns now for meat, will you know,
there's sort of lagged and we ever hopeful that's going
to improve. But you know, the way the government's sort
of you know, discussing their climate, their omissions profile, the
emissions reductions targets, it's making sheep farmers feel really young,
comfortable and really like that the government doesn't believe in
(04:03):
sheep farming in our country anymore.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Well, I know you won't have heard her because she
hasn't been on yet, but I'm sure you'll be tuning
into what Jane Smith has to say. She is from
the Methane Science according she's none too happy about these
new targets set by Simon Watt or is it what
so I keep forgetting his name? The climate change minister,
you know, Christopher Luxon, said on this show that the
(04:27):
minimum they could do if they wanted to stay in
the Paris Accord or Climate Agreement was to go above
the fifty percent that James and Jacinda signed up to
by twenty thirty. Of course, the new target is by
twenty thirty five, we've effectively only gone one percent more.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
What else could we do?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Well, yeah, that's a yeah, that's a good point. But
and the Partisans kept telling us that. And I think,
you know, as a she and beef Farman, as a
leader in the she's big farming industry, where we need
to be back in behind the scenes here and really
showing these ministers why it's impractical to be able to
do this. The one in five sheep farms under their
proposals is going to have to go. We planned it
(05:09):
into pine trees. And if anybody in this country think
they had a good idea for food production and for jobs,
then you know, maybe you should move somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
It's Valentine's Day. One of the great lovers at Federated
Farmers has to be your president, Wayne Langford. I'm sure
he won't mind me saying that. He wears his heart
on his sleeve. He's going to be on the show
on Wednesday. You guys have got your farmer Confidence results
coming up. I think it is on Wednesday, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yep? So what do you reckon? Have you seen them yet?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
No, we haven't seen them, but I think there's going
to be a bit of an uptick and sentiment. You know,
dairy farming's looking pretty good. I think a lot of
that survey was done before this emissions reductions announcement, So
we're not going to get their weight to those sheep
farmers building, you know that the stress of that, but
they're still underlying stresses there, you know for a lot
of farmers, certainly the climate targets and the government, but
(05:57):
also you know, labor and banks. And then we've got
this bank inquiry going on that Richard beccontizing a wonderful
job walks and you know we need to, you know,
make farming great again. Really, I think we're suffering a
little bit. I heard the Vegetable Grow on the radio
this morning saying exactly the same thing. But people don't
seem to respect fru production in our country anymore, which is,
(06:17):
you know, the only thing if we don't respect fruitducttionally,
the only thing you're going to get is higher prices
and put the food.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Okay, Toby, thank you very much. I'll leave you. I'm
going to leave you with the wee bit of meat life.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
You certainly can geemy up going back to dagging ma sheep.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, you're not tempted to get under the old self
share as the ones you don't have to dag or
crutch or life would be so much easier. You could
spend many hours listening to this fine album with Missus
Williams sharing a lamb chopsten.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Manager as told but I told him I'd sell the
farm before I want a shitting sheep on my property.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Good on your time, Toby. You stay strong,
Toby Williams Federated Farmers Meet and woel chair. That's hardly romantic.
It's a bit hot and heavy, isn't it for a
Valentine's Day song?
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good Afternoon?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
I thought it actually really closely. You know, we've got
Valentine's Day and naturally and day to morow, so we've
got a love song and Meatloaf to just magic together. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Well, meat Loaf was pretty good. You see, you picked
it up second time round. I'm of a generation where
this this album only seven songs on it. Meatloaf came
out when I was eighteen. It was a seminal part
of my life.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Yeah, and I say that he was a civil state
of my life as well as obviously in school and
then the university is an amazing artist and enduring legacy.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
But missus Williams four for this she did?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Actually yeah, it was actually Jamie twenty five years ago.
Today we actually officially got together.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Oh wow, wonderful on Valentine's Day. You'll never forget that. Okay,
let's get serious for a webit. NU, No, I won't.
I'll start with I'll start with the two year anniversary
of cycclone Gabrielle, you are a Gisbon sheep and beef farmer.
What are your memories? Have you fully recovered? We talked
to Sandra Faulkner a wee bit earlier in the week.
(01:21):
They've still got diggers out on the farms.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, no, we haven't fully recovered. And there's a lot
of things you'll probably got about not six seven k's
of fencing realistically to strange enough and take the neting
off and put posts back in. But we stop proof
enough and there's our slips have pretty much healed now.
We've got a good strong country and we went too
badly affected with more slumps. But it was one of
the most eerie days waking up on the fourteenth of
(01:43):
a couple of years ago when we woke up and
we had no power and no internet, and fortunately I
had Sky and we sat there watching the news and
there was nothing about Gisbon. You know, a little bit
about body wipe and akand with those poor firefighters lost
their lives and that was about it. And two or
three days so we sort of realized that well didn't
know we were completely cut off.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yeah, Well, and what happened that Mirrouai was an absolute disaster.
But I guess in terms of being really thumped hard,
maybe I'm not doing west Auckland. Oh maybe I'm doing
them a disservice here, But I think some of the
really brutal damage was obviously done on the east coast
of the North Island from where you are down to
the Wira Rappa.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, well from north of Media we lost all those
bridges and you know, and a lot of you know,
there's lives of those people and a lot of live
stock and a lot of farming people have had long
term consequences to their to their farms, to their mental
health and you know, and to their careers really, so
it was a really tough day. And also remembering two
weeks before we had cycle hail come through, so we're
(02:47):
pretty well beaten up by then.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Okay, On a brighter note, National Lamb Day tomorrow. We
had the National Lamb Day precursor of the barbecue AT's
on the Speaker's Lawn at Parliament on Tuesday. Was a
great day to be in Wellington with all everything kicking
off around Seymour and the land Rover more about that
and the tick. But what are you doing tomorrow with
missus Williams.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah, we're gonna throw some lamdwrecks on the barbie and
grab some mates around and it might even been really
generous to write my staff rout and you know, and
we'll have a bit of a fry up. It's the
national thing we should be doing, you know, celebrating what
you know, what built our nation, you know, wall and
sheep meat was what made our nation greaton we're fortunate
at the moment we've got dairy cows continuing that.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, I don't think sheep farming is an industry industry
of the past, Toby. It's not a sunset industry as
Roger Douglas and David Longey described it in the eighties.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I think it's on the way back.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah, well, i'd like to say it is. You know,
we're getting good returns now for meat, will you know,
there's sort of lagged and we ever hopeful that's going
to improve. But you know, the way the government's sort
of you know, discussing their climate, their omissions profile, the
emissions reductions targets, it's making sheep farmers feel really young,
comfortable and really like that the government doesn't believe in
(04:03):
sheep farming in our country anymore.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Well, I know you won't have heard her because she
hasn't been on yet, but I'm sure you'll be tuning
into what Jane Smith has to say. She is from
the Methane Science according she's none too happy about these
new targets set by Simon Watt or is it what
so I keep forgetting his name? The climate change minister,
you know, Christopher Luxon, said on this show that the
(04:27):
minimum they could do if they wanted to stay in
the Paris Accord or Climate Agreement was to go above
the fifty percent that James and Jacinda signed up to
by twenty thirty. Of course, the new target is by
twenty thirty five, we've effectively only gone one percent more.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
What else could we do?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Well, yeah, that's a yeah, that's a good point. But
and the Partisans kept telling us that. And I think,
you know, as a she and beef Farman, as a
leader in the she's big farming industry, where we need
to be back in behind the scenes here and really
showing these ministers why it's impractical to be able to
do this. The one in five sheep farms under their
proposals is going to have to go. We planned it
(05:09):
into pine trees. And if anybody in this country think
they had a good idea for food production and for jobs,
then you know, maybe you should move somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
It's Valentine's Day. One of the great lovers at Federated
Farmers has to be your president, Wayne Langford. I'm sure
he won't mind me saying that. He wears his heart
on his sleeve. He's going to be on the show
on Wednesday. You guys have got your farmer Confidence results
coming up. I think it is on Wednesday, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yep? So what do you reckon? Have you seen them yet?
Speaker 3 (05:37):
No, we haven't seen them, but I think there's going
to be a bit of an uptick and sentiment. You know,
dairy farming's looking pretty good. I think a lot of
that survey was done before this emissions reductions announcement, So
we're not going to get their weight to those sheep
farmers building, you know that the stress of that, but
they're still underlying stresses there, you know for a lot
of farmers, certainly the climate targets and the government, but
(05:57):
also you know, labor and banks. And then we've got
this bank inquiry going on that Richard beccontizing a wonderful
job walks and you know we need to, you know,
make farming great again. Really, I think we're suffering a
little bit. I heard the Vegetable Grow on the radio
this morning saying exactly the same thing. But people don't
seem to respect fru production in our country anymore, which is,
(06:17):
you know, the only thing if we don't respect fruitducttionally,
the only thing you're going to get is higher prices
and put the food.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Okay, Toby, thank you very much. I'll leave you. I'm
going to leave you with the wee bit of meat life.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
You certainly can geemy up going back to dagging ma sheep.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, you're not tempted to get under the old self
share as the ones you don't have to dag or
crutch or life would be so much easier. You could
spend many hours listening to this fine album with Missus
Williams sharing a lamb chopsten.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Manager as told but I told him I'd sell the
farm before I want a shitting sheep on my property.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Good on your time, Toby. You stay strong,
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