March 11, 2025 • 7 mins
This North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist has been lunching with David Seymour and having dinner with Christopher Luxon. We ask what she makes of fighting climate change by applying basalt rock to our pastures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So you'd heard from Prime Minister Christopher luxem Well. One
woman who was having dinner with said leader was Jane Smith. Now, Jane,
you're a bit two faced. Last time you were on
this show, north Otago farmer, a former winner of the
Balance Farm Environment Awards, you told me that you'd ripped
the National Party rosette from your twin seat Cardigan.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Jamie. Yes, probably I was a bit of
a wild card choice of guests, probably not the ideal
choice if they were looking for a passive dinner guest.
In fact, it was awkward at one point when a
farmer let's call him Derek from Fairley, came up and
when I was talking to Duxton and said, gosh, I
really enjoyed when you talked about ripping the rosette from
(00:42):
your Cardigan, Jane. When the NATS essentially came out and
endorsed to Cinder's admissions reduction target of fat, they increased
it slightly, so that was a potential awkward moment. But
I wasn't there just for an agreement session, Jamie, and
it was really it was good to harness the opportunity
to I'd call it more of a speed date over
(01:02):
a sort of a fifteen minute period with myself and
the PM, and the conversation was really on everything from
methane to marry activists, from pine trees to property rights,
so definitely worth while, Jamie. I was disappointed at one
days when Luxeon referred to some people like Groundswa and
methane science are called, which of course is as myself
(01:23):
as sort of right wing and.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
The great and WASH's right there.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, I guess maybe right right wing, but potentially not
representing the views of middle New Zealand or farmers, which
I you know, I would actually argue with that. And
I assume he has this view from those that are
supposed to represent us in their egg industry, and I
just wonder whether they're actually reprehending us rather than representing us.
And I guess when you've got a traditionally like a
(01:49):
government and it's traditionally farmer friendly or business friendly, it
can actually show up your advocacy because you can't hide
behind them or or blame the ministers like we did
with David Parker. And the reality is actually after two
days of at the Upperclusa wanka a MP show, it
really became obvious to me that actually those of you know,
(02:09):
the directors that are there to represents have certainly have
had that Wellington lobotomy and and it really failed to
see things from a grassroots farmer or grassroots rural person
or any business point of view. So that old Stockholm
syndrome is alive and well even under.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And now, okay, so was lux and trying to woo
you to become a National Party candidate, Joane, you're going
to sell your soul.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I doubt that very much, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
What I do, you'd be hopeless in Parliament.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I would last about five minutes. And you know, I
guess what I do represent, I hope is just vibrant
rural communities. And that is what I'm passionate about, family
farms and sustainable opportunities going forward, not painting yourselves into
corners on things like as I said, Methane, which is
we don't need or we do not need any further
(02:57):
taxpayer money wasted in that in that area. Janey.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now, if it wasn't bad enough or good enough that
you were having dinner with the Prime minister, you're also
lunching with the soon to be Deputy Prime Minister David
Seymour at the Wonica Amp show.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To be fair, Jamie, that was just an opportune chance
that we took, actually and at the raising sound tents
to catch up with David Seymour and have lunch though
he wasn't lunching. Actually we were eating and he wasn't.
Maybe he was a weey that sensitive about lunch lunches
at the moment given the school lunch program. But you know,
that was refreshing and actually to have a really non
(03:32):
PC discussion about a lot of things, and and you know,
without the sort of the woke rightness righteousness that is
creeping into a lot of our sector at the moment.
So and you know, we did talk about things like
fertilizer and delivering products and banks, et cetera, without the
side serving of righteousness that seems to be hanging around
(03:52):
and costing of our seat to our opportunities at the
moment too, Jamie. And and so that was a that
was a good opportunity and certainly be taking some of
those discussions further, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Did you listen to the Associate Professor, the Good Doctor
Peter Armond on yesterday's show? Is this the way to
fight climate change? Putting the rock on the pastures in
South because she used to be a Ravenstown field wrap
down in South and back in the day.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Jane and I know that area well, Jamie. In terms
of o'dahudi. I also know Lincoln University well as an
alumni of the establishment. And I honestly nearly choked on
my lunch. I actually could not believe what I was hearing.
And I know that overseas has been a lot of studies.
I'm not saying it wouldn't work, et cetera in terms
of applying that crushed basalt rock to sequest CO two.
(04:39):
Actually I thought that obviously completely missed the memo that
thirty three percent of New Zealand has covered in native bush.
What's that nine million hit is that are sequesting CO
two every moment of the day, Jamie, And I'm thinking,
lest alone the land that has been lost to pine trees?
What is that lean stock in It's a year or
(05:01):
twenty two thousand heat is due to be planted even
just in South and the same province this year. I thought, honestly,
what is the world coming to if we are wasting
good scientists time and resources which we don't have many of,
and tax pays money on this type of crap. I
just I actually checked that it wasn't April Fool's Day, Jamie.
I thought, this cannot be true. We can't be doing
this in New Villa.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well, look, in defense of myself, and I'm defending the
indefensible here, I'd missed the obvious question was, you know,
at what rate are we going to put the basalt
rock on per hectare? What do you reckon? How much
do you reckon? The answer is because we went back
after the show and found out.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I'd hate to thank Jammie.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Okay, here it is fifty tons per hectare, So yeah, okay,
so that's a lot, as you well know. And I
went back to him and said, well, he're putting on
that much, how long is it before the pasture is
edible or grazable? And he said, well, the application should
equate to about five mills of rock dust on the
(05:59):
past as we expect with autumn growth and some rainfall,
the paddocks should be grazible again in one to three weeks.
I'm not sure i'd want to eat that grass.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Oh. The reality is, Jamie, these are just ridiculous climate
change hysteria distractions on our real issues that we have
going on in this country. And I guess the saddest
thing is again the opportunity cost of the real science
and real issues and real solutions we could be coming
up with in this country instead of wasting time and
money on there, and you know, even just without even
(06:29):
looking at the rates and the foolishness around that, even
just the climate change costs of doing such such an action, no,
actually getting that rock there. I mean, it's just the
whole thing is just ridiculous, Jamie. And it's time that
this type of thing was absolutely wiped off any sort
of work scenario.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
For No, you'll be wiped off the Christmas Christmas card
list of doctor Peter Armand from your old Alma Marta
Lincoln University. Let's just finish on North Otago where you're farming.
You had a big thunderstorm overnight, that rain would be welcome.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, it certainly was, Jamie. But I sort of feel
a little bit guilty in a year like this where
actually getting a lot of precipitation, and I feel that
it could have gone to another area, But I know
it doesn't work like that. But yeah, I think we
got just over another inch last night, but it's certainly
turned winterry, but we can't complain. In stock are looking
magnificent in North to Tago. Finally feel like where things
(07:22):
are coming to fruition and.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
You're getting record prices for those beef cattle.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
That you breed exactly, Jamie and Lamb's looking great. Interest
rates heading down was not low enough yet by the way,
but yeah, things are very very positive. And if we
can just get some of this ridiculousness out of our
seat to time and money being wasted, things onwards and
up with Jamie.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and Trump would just call as jets on tariff
spent anyhow, That's on my wish list. Jane Smith, thank
you very much for your time, and I'm pleased to
hear that National Party Rosetta's back on your twin set
card again.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Not sure it is, Jamie, but thank you
So you'd heard from Prime Minister Christopher luxem Well. One
woman who was having dinner with said leader was Jane Smith. Now, Jane,
you're a bit two faced. Last time you were on
this show, north Otago farmer, a former winner of the
Balance Farm Environment Awards, you told me that you'd ripped
the National Party rosette from your twin seat Cardigan.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Jamie. Yes, probably I was a bit of
a wild card choice of guests, probably not the ideal
choice if they were looking for a passive dinner guest.
In fact, it was awkward at one point when a
farmer let's call him Derek from Fairley, came up and
when I was talking to Duxton and said, gosh, I
really enjoyed when you talked about ripping the rosette from
(00:42):
your Cardigan, Jane. When the NATS essentially came out and
endorsed to Cinder's admissions reduction target of fat, they increased
it slightly, so that was a potential awkward moment. But
I wasn't there just for an agreement session, Jamie, and
it was really it was good to harness the opportunity
to I'd call it more of a speed date over
(01:02):
a sort of a fifteen minute period with myself and
the PM, and the conversation was really on everything from
methane to marry activists, from pine trees to property rights,
so definitely worth while, Jamie. I was disappointed at one
days when Luxeon referred to some people like Groundswa and
methane science are called, which of course is as myself
(01:23):
as sort of right wing and.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
The great and WASH's right there.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, I guess maybe right right wing, but potentially not
representing the views of middle New Zealand or farmers, which
I you know, I would actually argue with that. And
I assume he has this view from those that are
supposed to represent us in their egg industry, and I
just wonder whether they're actually reprehending us rather than representing us.
And I guess when you've got a traditionally like a
(01:49):
government and it's traditionally farmer friendly or business friendly, it
can actually show up your advocacy because you can't hide
behind them or or blame the ministers like we did
with David Parker. And the reality is actually after two
days of at the Upperclusa wanka a MP show, it
really became obvious to me that actually those of you know,
(02:09):
the directors that are there to represents have certainly have
had that Wellington lobotomy and and it really failed to
see things from a grassroots farmer or grassroots rural person
or any business point of view. So that old Stockholm
syndrome is alive and well even under.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And now, okay, so was lux and trying to woo
you to become a National Party candidate, Joane, you're going
to sell your soul.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I doubt that very much, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
What I do, you'd be hopeless in Parliament.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I would last about five minutes. And you know, I
guess what I do represent, I hope is just vibrant
rural communities. And that is what I'm passionate about, family
farms and sustainable opportunities going forward, not painting yourselves into
corners on things like as I said, Methane, which is
we don't need or we do not need any further
(02:57):
taxpayer money wasted in that in that area. Janey.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now, if it wasn't bad enough or good enough that
you were having dinner with the Prime minister, you're also
lunching with the soon to be Deputy Prime Minister David
Seymour at the Wonica Amp show.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To be fair, Jamie, that was just an opportune chance
that we took, actually and at the raising sound tents
to catch up with David Seymour and have lunch though
he wasn't lunching. Actually we were eating and he wasn't.
Maybe he was a weey that sensitive about lunch lunches
at the moment given the school lunch program. But you know,
that was refreshing and actually to have a really non
(03:32):
PC discussion about a lot of things, and and you know,
without the sort of the woke rightness righteousness that is
creeping into a lot of our sector at the moment.
So and you know, we did talk about things like
fertilizer and delivering products and banks, et cetera, without the
side serving of righteousness that seems to be hanging around
(03:52):
and costing of our seat to our opportunities at the
moment too, Jamie. And and so that was a that
was a good opportunity and certainly be taking some of
those discussions further, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Did you listen to the Associate Professor, the Good Doctor
Peter Armond on yesterday's show? Is this the way to
fight climate change? Putting the rock on the pastures in
South because she used to be a Ravenstown field wrap
down in South and back in the day.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Jane and I know that area well, Jamie. In terms
of o'dahudi. I also know Lincoln University well as an
alumni of the establishment. And I honestly nearly choked on
my lunch. I actually could not believe what I was hearing.
And I know that overseas has been a lot of studies.
I'm not saying it wouldn't work, et cetera in terms
of applying that crushed basalt rock to sequest CO two.
(04:39):
Actually I thought that obviously completely missed the memo that
thirty three percent of New Zealand has covered in native bush.
What's that nine million hit is that are sequesting CO
two every moment of the day, Jamie, And I'm thinking,
lest alone the land that has been lost to pine trees?
What is that lean stock in It's a year or
(05:01):
twenty two thousand heat is due to be planted even
just in South and the same province this year. I thought, honestly,
what is the world coming to if we are wasting
good scientists time and resources which we don't have many of,
and tax pays money on this type of crap. I
just I actually checked that it wasn't April Fool's Day, Jamie.
I thought, this cannot be true. We can't be doing
this in New Villa.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well, look, in defense of myself, and I'm defending the
indefensible here, I'd missed the obvious question was, you know,
at what rate are we going to put the basalt
rock on per hectare? What do you reckon? How much
do you reckon? The answer is because we went back
after the show and found out.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I'd hate to thank Jammie.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Okay, here it is fifty tons per hectare, So yeah, okay,
so that's a lot, as you well know. And I
went back to him and said, well, he're putting on
that much, how long is it before the pasture is
edible or grazable? And he said, well, the application should
equate to about five mills of rock dust on the
(05:59):
past as we expect with autumn growth and some rainfall,
the paddocks should be grazible again in one to three weeks.
I'm not sure i'd want to eat that grass.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Oh. The reality is, Jamie, these are just ridiculous climate
change hysteria distractions on our real issues that we have
going on in this country. And I guess the saddest
thing is again the opportunity cost of the real science
and real issues and real solutions we could be coming
up with in this country instead of wasting time and
money on there, and you know, even just without even
(06:29):
looking at the rates and the foolishness around that, even
just the climate change costs of doing such such an action, no,
actually getting that rock there. I mean, it's just the
whole thing is just ridiculous, Jamie. And it's time that
this type of thing was absolutely wiped off any sort
of work scenario.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
For No, you'll be wiped off the Christmas Christmas card
list of doctor Peter Armand from your old Alma Marta
Lincoln University. Let's just finish on North Otago where you're farming.
You had a big thunderstorm overnight, that rain would be welcome.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, it certainly was, Jamie. But I sort of feel
a little bit guilty in a year like this where
actually getting a lot of precipitation, and I feel that
it could have gone to another area, But I know
it doesn't work like that. But yeah, I think we
got just over another inch last night, but it's certainly
turned winterry, but we can't complain. In stock are looking
magnificent in North to Tago. Finally feel like where things
(07:22):
are coming to fruition and.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
You're getting record prices for those beef cattle.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
That you breed exactly, Jamie and Lamb's looking great. Interest
rates heading down was not low enough yet by the way,
but yeah, things are very very positive. And if we
can just get some of this ridiculousness out of our
seat to time and money being wasted, things onwards and
up with Jamie.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and Trump would just call as jets on tariff
spent anyhow, That's on my wish list. Jane Smith, thank
you very much for your time, and I'm pleased to
hear that National Party Rosetta's back on your twin set
card again.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Not sure it is, Jamie, but thank you
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!