June 16, 2025 • 37 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Helen and Ian Burgess, Todd Clark, Sandra Matthews, Dr Beata Bukosa, and Damien O'Connor.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie mckaye thanks to Brent starkest of the
leading agriculture brands.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good A New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I am
Jamie McKay, Got You, Got Ya and Kimbra somebody that
I used to know that could describe the bloke who
was meant to be kicking off the show, Damien O'Connor,
Labour's trade spokesperson, looking forward to an argument with Damien.
He won't answer his phone, but never mind, the show
(00:59):
must go on. We're going to catch up very shortly.
I've got am sitting in reserve. A couple of farmers
I met at Field Days last week, Helen and Ian Burgess.
Cyclone Gabrielle hit farmers in land from Gisbon, still waiting
to get full farm access after their bridge was washed
out in early twenty twenty three, facing the prospect of
(01:22):
a third winter without access to their farm. We're going
to chat to Todd Clark. I've already caught up with him, actually,
a Kentucky based US farming correspondent on riots Trump, a
wet and slow spring and making money out of idiot bales.
For the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. Sandra Matthews, National President
(01:42):
of Rural Women and Z also out of Gisbon. And
if I get time interesting story from newa doctor Biata Bukosa.
Someone's done a study and they've discovered that native forest's
quite a good carbon sink. I thought that would be
stating the obvious. But anyhow, in the absence of Damien,
I was going to say Damien Mackenzie my favorite rugby
(02:05):
player of the moment. I actually Georgia miller Is will
go with Damian O'Connor when we can find her. But
up next we're off the Gisbone. One of the best
(02:33):
things about field days is meeting farmers, real farmers. Here's
a couple of farmers I met through Rowena who had
done a story on them about a year ago through Farmstrong.
This is a Gisbone farming couple who are basically stuck
between a rock and a hard place. Their bridge has
been washed away, their only form of access to their farm.
(02:54):
Enn and Helen Burgess join us. Are you facing your
third winter guys? With outer bridge your only way across
the river at this stage other than going a very
long winded way over a neighbors farm track and across
his bridge is via Flying Fox. Did you go out
on the Flying Fox to get to field days, Helen Burgess, Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It's exactly how we got across, and it was raining
and we ended up with steal to on everything, but
we did it and we got to see you.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Oh well, I'm pleased to see that. Our eyes met
across the room and Rowenna said, you've got to talk
to these farmers, okay, And you're something like a fourth
generation farmer on this farm Inland. I think you're halfway
between where Gisbon and Laikeerri Mowana. You're in the back
blocks there. We attempted to walk off after this. I mean,
farming is a struggle enough when things are going well,
(03:46):
this must be a real impediment to progress.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Yeah. No, we're definitely not came to walk off. We've
been here for four generations. We've actually been in the
district for nearly one hundred and sixty years and on
this particular farm for one hundred and twenty years now.
So yeah, I mean there's a there's a yeah, it's
deeply entrenched in us that you know, the land is
(04:13):
is very special to us. But beside the point, it's
a very good farm, you know, like if it was
a really tough farm to run, then I think we
would have considered moving on. But yeah, it's we spent
our whole life building this, you know, yeah, building this
air set up, and we want to stay here.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Does the bridge service any farms other than yours?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
No, it doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, I'll ask the obvious question and I know the answer,
but I'm going to throw it out there. Why aren't
you to s build a bridge yourself?
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The expense because it's the distance is about forty five meters,
so that puts it into a completely different brackets. So
we're looking at at least two and a half million
to build a bridge, but we feel that we'd deserve
it because you know, we've put millions back into the
community over one hundred and twenty years that we've been here.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Fair enough now, it was the previous bridge that got
washed away and cyclone Gabrielle was built and looked after
by the Gisbon District Council. They're not having a bar
of a new bridge. How are your negotiations going there?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Yeah, we're sort of getting the extra pasty on Helen's.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Okay, we've got Helen at the other end of the
living room, a bit of separation by mobile phones, so
we don't get feedback. Helen. I hope you heard that question.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yes I did. Yeah, Well, they are doing what they can.
They're sympathetic, but the message that always keep coming across
is that they don't have any money. And we hear
that phrase all the time. But the frustrating thing for
us is seeing money spending places that perhaps it doesn't
(05:57):
need spending. And our course that we talked to the
council and as being said, well we have we create,
and I think and we are economically an asset to
give them economy. We're not a drain and we at
this point in history, we need we need help.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Okay, are there are other farmers post cyclone? Gabrielle and
exactly the same situation for you. Have you got like
a support group? You can't be the only ones with
a bridge washed out that hasn't been replaced yet.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Well, as far as we were aware, and it took
our own networking to find each other, we have formed
a group called a Bridge in Trafferty and there were
originally eight bridges that were gone they've all gradually had
solutions and we're now left, I think with just the
two of us, with the other bridge that he mentioned
(06:52):
earlier that has a farm and a lifestyle block on it.
So it's the two of us that are left, and
we seem to fall between all the craps, all the
funds and organizations and whatever. We seem to sit outside
(07:12):
of that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
What's your next porter call? Do you just have to
be the squeaky wheel?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Absolutely no, we are, and we have had the council
tell us that there is still a possibility of getting
funding and let's hope that that does happen. We will
keep fighting until it does happen. Actually, because we're not
going anywhere. We can't go anywhere. We're here, so we'll
(07:38):
keep fighting. And we have heard there are certain things
I'm in the fire, but nothing confirmed.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So hopefully the Gisbone District Council is taking note of you.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Plea there.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Look, you have my absolute sympathies. Rowena said, you guys
have got a great story, and I know you can
get out on the summer when the river's low, but
when it's high at the time of the year, it's
the flying fox or nothing. You're braver than me. I'm
scared of heights. Ellen, Well, I.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Am a little bit, but I have no choice. Though.
It's amazing since the cyclone, the things that we've we've
done that we wouldn't we wouldn't believe in a million years.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
We did.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
We do we have. I mean I stood up in
front of a chamber of counselors and spoke, and before
that I wouldn't even say thank you at a birthday party.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well there you go. I guess it brings new meanings
doing the weekly shop for the groceries across the Flying
Fox look in and Helen Burgess. I wish you all
the best and good luck, and you fight to get
your bridge back. You're a productive piece of land. We
need as much income as we can from the land.
And please don't plant it and pine trees. I'll see
you later.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Good on you, by, thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Good on you, guys, and good luck. What a tough
story that one is. It's a yeah, absolutely stuck between
a rock and a hard place. This is the country.
I'm Jamie McKay, I have lost I keep wanting to
call him Damien McKenzie. I can't do that. Damian O'Connor,
Labor's trade spokesperson missing in action. I tell you I'm
(09:15):
going to go to next because I've caught up with
him earlier this morning, because it's late evening his time
in the US Todd Clark, Kentucky based US farming correspondent.
Before the end of the hour, Sandra Matthews, National President
of Rural Women, and zed some interesting research on native
forests as a carbon sink from newer and if we
(09:38):
can track them down, Damien McKenzie, and thank you Andy
Muir from the Muster. No one likes the corrector Andy,
but thanks for correcting me. Pronounced go to ya and Kimbra.
Thanks Andy. He's our Kentucky based US farming correspondent. His
(10:14):
name is Todd Clark. We last caught up Todd and May.
A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
They're rioting in the streets in America at the moment.
A lot of anti Trump stuff going on, but where
you're based, it's true blue Republican country. Is anyone protesting
against Trump?
Speaker 5 (10:33):
There? Sure? Good afternoon, Jimmy. There's Saturday, there was a
no King's protest all across the country and a couple
of thousand people were in downtown Lexington protesting, and and
I was hauling hauling cattle to the to the works
this morning and past more protesters on one of the
(10:55):
roads as I drove out. But I wouldn't say that
it's all of America. It's a small percentage. But that's
the good thing about America. You can make your voice heard.
And but at the end of the day, we'll just
carry on.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Well can you make your voice? Doesney? Didn't he bring
the National Garden and Los Angeles anyhow, it's the East
and West coast that don't like them. We'll move on
from Trump. I want to talk about farming. Of course,
we're just heading into winter here northern Hemisphere. You're heading
into your summer. How's it treating you? How was spring?
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Oh? Spring has been tough, and summer is starting out
the same way. It's just relentless rain. And we were
cool through the spring. And when I say we, it's
not just Kentucky, it's the majority of the states east
of the Mississippi, all the way across to the to
the eastern seaboard, so a pretty good, pretty good swath
(11:50):
of area. But today was probably the hottest day that
we've had so far, and it was thirty degrees celsius,
but the humidity was probably sixty sixty five percent, and
so it's just hot and humid and thunderstorms are on
their way this evening. Were probably an hour away from
(12:11):
a rain predictions for the week is probably two to
three inches in Lexington. So far this year we've had
thirty six inches of rain. A normal year is forty
six inches of rain. So we're ten inches away from
a normal year in June.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Yeah, only halfway through the year. Look, I know you've
got your farming fingers and a lot of pies. But
what of the things that you do do or you
did when I was visiting your farm. You made the
way idiot bales, the way square bills for all the
rich thoroughbred horse breeders in Lexington, Kentucky, the thoroughbred capital
(12:48):
of the world. If you want, are you still doing that?
Is the good money in that.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
We still do that? And there is good money in that.
I figured out a long time ago. If it's if
it's hard and no one wants to do it, there
tends to be some money in it. And so the
so the idiot bails certainly certainly make money, but this
year has been so wet that we've not made any
of those yet, and we're still making bailage for cattle
(13:13):
that should have been made three four weeks ago. Just
a few days ago, we were making bailage and having
to push trailers out of the field just because it
rained an inch while we were while we were bailing,
there was standing water in the field. But the eternal optimist,
all farmers are always thinking that it'll get better and
(13:36):
and so that's what we're thinking right now, is that
we just hope that the faucet doesn't completely turn off.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
You mentioned cattle. Are you still getting record prices for
your cattle and the US, because we're certainly getting record
beef prices here in New Zealand, for there are grinding
beef that we're sending over to you guys to put
on your hamburgers.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Yes, it's still still record prices there. I don't want
to say they're softening, but but it's not. It's not
improving each week. We're starting to slow down and just maintain.
But what we would call a cold cow, cold bulls,
things like that, herd sires, that sort of thing that
(14:18):
you're just trying to get rid of those are now
hitting record highs and so a herd bull that maybe
you bought four seasons ago, you're getting as much for
him at at the yards as you would have paid
for him to put into your herd four years ago.
So it's crazy times in the beef industry.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well, a long matte continue for New Zealand farmers. Eventually
you must rebuild your beef herd.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Yeah, we're trying to expand, but we're always trying to expand,
so the so that's nothing new, but so far it's
not happening, but predictions are we're probably twelve months away.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Hi, Todd Clark, I'm out of tom. Thanks for yours.
I've got a good idea for you and your hay
baler in Lexington, Kentucky. Head east, young man and go
to Pennsylvania. There's a piece of land called the Oakmont
Country Club where they've just had the US Golf open.
There's plenty of stuff ready to be made into hay
or silas there. It's called the Rough.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
That's what I've heard.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Thanks, Jimmy Brutal, lovely to catch up. We'll talk again
next month. Good luck getting some dry summer weather.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Good bloke caught up with them earlier this morning so
he could get to bed. He's flat out. Early summer
in Kentucky. Beautiful, beautiful country, and the bluegrass truly is
blue in the spring. Okay, Text coming in, Jamie, I
hope you don't find just Sender's lap dog. Damian O'Connor.
Don't know why you give him the time of day. Well, text,
(15:50):
I do in the interests of balance. Otherwise I'd have
no one from the opposition side of the house to
talk about agriculture. I mean, and the Greens they're completely
la la and on another planet to party Maori likewise,
so the only ones I can talk to is really labor.
I'm just wondering what's happened to their agg policy. They're
(16:11):
kind of playing wait and see, and then they're gonna
cherry pick some of the good ideas I guess that
have been introduced by the current coalition government, who are
certain certainly pretty farmer friendly in my view anyhow, I
would have thought. So that's just one man's opinion. Up next,
as we await Damian O'Connor's arrival on the country, we
(16:34):
might go back to Gisbon because I want to talk
to well do I do? I want to talk to
Sandra Matthews about hormone replacement treatment. Should I go there?
I'll figure that out over the break.
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Oh sweet footicycle, a little.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Besycle and naty screaming.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Harpersycles.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Sandra Matthews is a Gisbone farmer. She is also the
National President of Rural Women in Z. I don't know
how I go about this one. I might have to
tippy toe around at allmone replacement treatment for menopause or woman.
I guess this could be a savior for rural men.
Or am I being a bit cheeky there?
Speaker 8 (17:33):
Sandra, Oh Jamie, you're always cheeky. Good afternoon. It could
be a savior for rural men, the women that are
imperium menopause and menopause and postmenopause. This is a game
changer for women that go through this period of life,
and we all go through it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I looked at your press release and I was thinking,
I'm due to chat to Sandra. Where do I go? Sandra? Ah, Sandra, Sandra,
the other one Sandra, This is Assandra and Assandra. The
other one is Sandra Faulkner, and she's in the news.
Actually she's in the news. She's jumping up and down
today on behalf of Federated Farmers about rates. I couldn't
(18:09):
agree with them. More farmers get absolutely ripped off for
rates from local body authorities. Don't you reckon? That'll get
your hormonal.
Speaker 8 (18:19):
Now, Jamie k Okay, Yes, yeah it does. I mean,
let's think about right around the country. The percentage of
rate increases is ridiculous. How do we sustain that in
our businesses, in our farming businesses. And we don't get
a lot for it, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
No, that's absolutely You don't get the swimming pool, the library,
a lot of the stuff that US town needs. Just
take for granted rates. Don't start me on this should
be user pays, not not a wealth tax. Talk to
me about these HRT patches' decision. That's good that they're
going to fund another one. What are the issues though,
And it's not only for hormone replacement of medicine, it's
(18:55):
for any sort of medicine that you can't go to
a doctor and get a prescription and that will last
for more than a month. It seems silly, especially for
rural women who may have to travel a couple of
hours each way to renew a prescription. It's weird.
Speaker 8 (19:10):
Yeah, it's a prescription can be done for a longer time, Jamie.
It's the actual dispensing of the prescription. So when a
woman goes into to grab their patches, they can only
be dispensed one month's supply because of the what farmak
are saying that the supply constraints. So for a real
woman point of view, if you're going to town and
(19:32):
they don't have your patch, or you know you're not
going for another month or six weeks, you can't get
an extra supply to take you through. So what we
are advocating for is that three months supply, especially for
real women that have to drive an hour and a
half each way to get to a chemist or get
to town.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yep, totally with you there. Let's move on from the
subject that makes me slightly uncomfortable. Talk to me, Talk
to me about rural connectivity.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Yeah, that's one thing that we've been heavily advocated waiting
for the copper network being deregulated and obviously closed down.
So it is aging. We do understand that, but they're
still around eighty thousand remaining people on that Copper Copper network,
and we've got members right around the country. They're saying, Hey,
we've got no phone, we've got no cell tower. What
(20:17):
are we going to do? So we're really advocating with
Coorus and with the ministers and departments about a public
education campaign around the alternatives because there are alternatives, but
some of them are quite expensive. So and how do
we bring people along in this change that have literacy barriers.
(20:37):
So that's what we're advocating for at the moment and
heavily involved in.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, that's the best thing we could do for rural productivity.
A reduce the rates we but for the farmers, but
b have much better connectivity, broadband coverage and obviously mobile reception.
Just to finish on this is a really good promotion.
I guess is it for your hundreds or hundred and
fiftieth at Rural Women.
Speaker 8 (21:01):
And Z it's our CENTENNI also it's one hundred years
nineteen twenty five that we kick off in July, and
these wonderful members down in the bottom of the North
Island has spent four years working on the Rural Woman
Rose with Matthew's Nursery and it's been released for sale
and we have a limited number left on our website,
(21:22):
so we'd love members of our rural community to have
a look at gorgeous lilac colored rose, heavily centered flowers
continuously and there's a few left on the website, so
jump on and grab one.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Has it got prickles thorns on it?
Speaker 9 (21:37):
Well?
Speaker 8 (21:38):
All they yeah, you know it's thorny as they are,
the more beautiful they are. But I don't think this
has got a lot of thorns. But I haven't seen
the rose itself as yet, but it's stunning Jamie, and
definitely worse one for your gardener.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Hey you really quickly to finish on. How's the farming
season going in Gisbon.
Speaker 8 (21:55):
Farming seasons good. We've had a little bit more rain
than probably what we need, but I'm never going to
complain about little bits of rain. We've got great grass growth,
there's still growth at the moment. The farms are looking
at picture. Stock are doing well, cattle are doing well,
sheep doing well. Really from a farming perspective up here,
I don't see we have a lot to complain about.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Good on you. Thanks for your time, Sandra Matthews, National
President of Rural Women and ZED always good to catch up.
Speaker 8 (22:24):
Thanks lot a little.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
It is twenty six away from one you're with the country.
Completely coincidental that I'm playing over Max and Sweet but Psycho,
that's got nothing to do with the men apausal women
out there, nothing at all. It's your fault. You put
it in there, Michelle.
Speaker 7 (22:42):
Blaming me for this.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I blame you.
Speaker 7 (22:44):
We were going to get through this without you mentioning
this song, but obviously you can't help.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Well Avermax is doing some New World tour or something. Yeah, catchy,
but anyhow, it was a subject that we had to
address and we haven't the country too. I have to
say this time, m Well, I'm taking instructions from the
program director. Any what we're going to do next. We've
just heard, by the way, from Damian O'Connor's flight got delayed.
(23:12):
I'm going to catch up with him at the end
of their up next to Michelle with Rural News. I
think we've got the latest from the Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey,
which is good, and then we're going to talk to
the team from NIWA. Hopefully if I can track down
doctor Biatta Lukosa. What a great name that is. And
then Damian O'Connor a bit of an argument to round
(23:32):
out the country.
Speaker 6 (23:35):
To someone saying doldrink passion.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
A little beside it is twenty two away from one
the brand. Bring you the brand. Let's go just with
Brent Bring you the Country. His Rural News with Michelle to.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
The Country's World News with Cod Cadets leading right on
Lawnlower brand. Visit steel Ford dot Co dot Nz for
your local.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
Stockist, Thanks Jamie and Farmer confidence in the broader agric
economy remains at a near record high, with the country's
farmers across all sectors looking favorable at the twelve months ahead.
The latest Rabobank Rural Confidence survey that was completed earlier
this month recorded the second highest net reading of plus
forty four percent since quarter two in twenty seventeen. Among
(24:26):
farmers holding a positive outlook on the agri economy, higher
commodity prices, improved marketing, overseas marketing and economies were all
cited as key reasons for optimism. And you can find
more news at the Country dot Co dot Nz.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
His Sport Sport with Afco Kiwi to the bone since
nineteen oh four.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
White Fern's One Day International cricket captain Sophie Divine admits
to coping with the wave of emotions after announcing her
decision to retire from the fifty over format. She will
exit after the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka
which ends in November. And what a champion she has
been and a reminder to sharpened tackle techniques for Crusaders
(25:08):
defense defense coach Matt Todd, a man who knew a
thing or two about tackling in his day. Heading into
Saturday's Super Rugby decider against the Chiefs, four players were
yellow carded across the semifinals for going high. Did you
look up the odds? It will be the old Crusaders
will be favorites at home, are they?
Speaker 7 (25:28):
Noah's the favorites. They're both equal a dollar ninety a.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Dollar ninety each. Well that's not bad.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
No, it's surprising though I thought the same thing. Although
go to the Chiefs to say I mean.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Anyone, I honestly think, I mean, yeah. The Chiefs deserve
to win Super Rugby. They've been bridesmaids for the last
two years and now that Bowden's not playing. Damien's my
favorite player, So I'm going to go with the Chiefs
for the Super Rugby final. Up next for Headington Niwa.
(26:02):
So here's a good news story for you on a Tuesday.
A new one lead study has found New Zealand's native
forests are absorbing more carbon dioxide than previously thought. The
study leader joins us now on the show. Her name
is doctor Biatabukosa, and she says this could have real
implications for New Zealand's greenhouse gas reporting, carbon credit costs,
(26:27):
and climate and land use policies. So how come you
figured this one out, doctor Biata, Because I would have
thought and native forests would have sucked up plenty of
CO two.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
Yeah, that's a very good point. So native forests are
actually assumed to be carbon assumed to be carbon neutral,
so they absorb and emit the same amount of carbon dioxide.
So we use a method called a top down method
where we use atmospheric measurements to calculate how much carbon
dioxide is being taken up and released by New Zealand
(26:59):
on a nation scale, including forests. And what we found
is that there are some quite big differences down in
the South Island around Fjordland and the southwest coast of
the South Island, where it seems to be much more
sew to being taken up by these forests than I can.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
I to stop you there, sorry, it can. I to
stop you to avoid confusion and ask you this question.
You said previously you thought these native forests were carbon neutral.
I thought all along they would have to be carbon positive,
absorbing more than they're emitting.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Yeah, so this is really a balance between mature forests
and other forests just because they start growing it. Basically,
the traditional thinking is their carbon neutral because all the
carbon that they could absorb is already in the tree,
so there's no additional carbon that they can take up.
In contrast to for example, exotic forests, there are a
fast growing forests, then year to year as they're growing,
(27:55):
they're taking up more and more carbon. And the type
of forests that we have done in South Island there
are mature indigenous forests. So that's why the thinking, this
first thinking was happening. However, as I said, it seems
like that that might there might be some other processes
that are leading to additional carbon updates.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
We obviously there's regeneration and Thest Knight of Forests that
must be sucking up a favorite carbon.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
Absolutely, and that's a brilliant point because that is one
of the one of the explanations of this carbon uptake.
We need to remember that these are environments that we
have quite a little bit of landslides, slips, erosion, and
quite a bit of precipitation as well, so some of
the carbon might be transported down into rivers and out
(28:46):
the ocean, but also we have other forms of disturbance
and pest control for example, that can then lead to
additional carbon updates.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Okay, so while the South Island and particularly the Fiordland
Night of Forests doing better than other know, Central North
Island Night of Forest.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
I mean it's really the different we think it's really
due to different environments that have the different impacts that
we have there. As I said, these slips and landslides,
So the North Island is also taking up quite a
bit of carbon. However, when we do these calculation from
atmospheric measurements, our measurement network coverage is stronger in the
(29:27):
South Island at the moment, so we can estimate these
numbers better in the South Island, while in the North island.
There are a few places where we are missing atmospheric measurement,
which means that there might be additional carbon happening there
as an update happening there as well, or carbon source.
We can't really know at this moment, depending on where
(29:48):
we put additional measure additional measurements side.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
So so the final question for you, what are you
guys at may We're going to do with the some formation.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
Yes, So at the moment, with this study, we identify
that there is a discrepancy on how much carbon is
being taken up by this forest. However, we have it
identified the exact processes that are responsible for that carbon
utic and also where the carbon goes. So our next
step is to develop a very detailed method and research
(30:20):
idea to exactly identify the processes responsible for this carbon sink.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Doctor Bieta Bucosa, I love that name. What's the heritage
of that name? For the origin?
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Yeah, so it is originally Hungarian, but I was born
in Serbia, so my accent is kind of a combination
of Serbian Hungarian.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Did you play tennis as a kid. All the good
women's pliers come out of Serbia?
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Yeah, I was more more interested in basketball.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Okay, got on you. Thanks very much for some of
your tom Thanks for being a good sport, interesting information
here on the country. We'll see you later.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Thank you sometimes.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Uh welcome, my goodness, that's loud. Welcome back to the country.
I blame the chainsaw, misspent youth on a chain saw.
Welcome back to the country. Brought to you by Brant
talking about chainsaws and chopping down things and building things.
(31:22):
You might have a rural community project that needs a
helping hand. It might be your community hall, sports club,
or your school. Need a bit of TLC. Well, we've
got the Rabobank Good Deeds competition. Go to the website
rabobank dot co dot nz and submit your project. You'll
get a five thousand dollars cash a day's labor from
the team at rabobank, and we're even promising to help ourselves.
(31:45):
If you can't find it online, just text good the
word good to five double nine and we'll send you
back the link. The entries close on June the thirtieth.
Well today has been all round rather too nice, really
arguments at all, So I thought I'd finish the show
today with an argument with this man, Damien O'Connor, Labour's
(32:07):
trade spokesperson. But Damien, you stood me up. Thanks for
coming on at the eleventh hour.
Speaker 9 (32:13):
Yeah, well, just some of the year. It seems to
be fig around the place and unfortunately a lot of
planes I think in different places because of the cold,
were grounded. So it's supposed to take off a sex
thirty five and finally got off at about eleven. So
a bit frustrating one of those days.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Okay, so I missed you at field days. Joe Luxton
was crook. I had a yarn to Chippy the boss.
Why are we still playing a waiting game to see
your ag policy? Are you just going to play wait
and see? Hang on, hang on, let me finish the question.
Speaker 9 (32:42):
Invite me to speak to you.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
How are you not as.
Speaker 9 (32:44):
Around you, Jamie. Everyone was nodding their head.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Nodding and nodding their head in agreement with.
Speaker 9 (32:50):
You, and you and you nodding as well. It was
all you know, it's this great but the echo chamber
of the year just in inside the pavilion.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Here's my question, why are we playing wait and see
for you guys to get some egg policy out of here?
You're not going to get voted. In mind, if we
believe the Federated Farmers polled DayMen, they had Labor at
three percent, Greens at two percent, to Party MA or
at one percent between the opposition, you could only muster
six percent of the farmer's vote.
Speaker 9 (33:15):
Why bother, We'll just wait for the pole next year
and then we'll see what happens. And you know, I
mean that there might be a whole lot of people,
you know, feeling good about that the farmer pole. Ultimately,
that's the pole at the election time, and there's a
lot of people out there quite grumby about.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
What absolutely and Labour seems to be doing quite well.
I'm not taking that away from you, but you're not
going to get any votes from the rural community. The
farming sect.
Speaker 9 (33:39):
Well, I'm not too sure about that. There was a
thousand people polled. I'm not sure how they said farmers
poll that, you know, But anyway, without getting into that,
I not there's a lot of people who are a
bit confused about what the government is saying to agriculture.
I mean, there are a lot of positive announcements, will
you know, seen be positive by the government at the
(34:00):
field days. And I acknowledge the uptake of wall carpets
is great to investigate him by diversity, but there wasn't
too many details with some of those announcements, so, you know,
lots of hype and hope. We just need to see
what is delivered, and I think a lot of farmers
wanted to see us.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Do you think that the primary sector penny has finally
dropped for you guys in labor and ship. He's a
bit of a pragmatist. I'll give him credit for that
in terms of the importance of the primary sector to
the New Zealand economy. Sixty million dollars Stamien.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
They announced the Sophie. It didn't quite get to sixty
billion dollars. Great to see that export revenue. You know, actually,
through COVID and through our time in government, we had
steadily increasing export revenue because we were prepared to take
on Bovis and try and sort that out. For the
primary sector. We kept all of those industries going except forestry.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
Ye, no, no, don't, don't. Don't live on past Gloriestamien,
you stop living on past. Glories would have shut farming
down and walk Echanoa would have shut farming down.
Speaker 9 (35:08):
Oh, Jamie that's got you make some ridiculous statements. He
walk Echinoa would probably that one opportunity where we gave
to primary industry leaders the opportunity to grapple with the
challenge of climate change. How we meet our emissions. This
governor has said, oh, the ETS is going to solve
it and some technology, but we don't want people planting trees.
(35:30):
So they're in a muddle when it comes to our emissions.
And the technology is still some way down the track.
So if you're happy to write out a check in
twenty thirty, and I don't think most keywis are, then
we've got to get on and do something.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Let's just finish on a comment from Steve Abel, the
greensag spokesperson, and doesn't he look like a Green agricultural
spokesperson as well? But I shouldn't be judgmental, and he
made a good point on Q and A. He said, well,
we can't plant our way out of pollution with pine trees,
and I think that's something you and I can agree on.
Speaker 9 (36:03):
But that's what the government has proposed. All they have
talked about by way of reducing our omissions or meeting
our international obligations is to have more trees through the ets.
It's crazy. They've got themselves into a pickle and they
need to explain how they're going to get themselves out
of it.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Well, maybe only the return of a labor government with
the Party Marion the Greens can save farming. Damien. That
would be good, that would be something to look for.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
That's the one time I agree with is one sensible
statement you've made to say that if you look through
history and look at the major changes had been made
to the benefit of agriculture that been made under a
labor government.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
There we go, Damien. Ikonnor mind you. There is an
old saying out there that the farmers always make money
under a labor government. Well they didn't in the last one.
That's me done and dust that. I'll catch you back tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Pinecast with Jamie Mgue Thanks to Brent, your specialist in
John Deere Machinery.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie mckaye thanks to Brent starkest of the
leading agriculture brands.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good A New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I am
Jamie McKay, Got You, Got Ya and Kimbra somebody that
I used to know that could describe the bloke who
was meant to be kicking off the show, Damien O'Connor,
Labour's trade spokesperson, looking forward to an argument with Damien.
He won't answer his phone, but never mind, the show
(00:59):
must go on. We're going to catch up very shortly.
I've got am sitting in reserve. A couple of farmers
I met at Field Days last week, Helen and Ian Burgess.
Cyclone Gabrielle hit farmers in land from Gisbon, still waiting
to get full farm access after their bridge was washed
out in early twenty twenty three, facing the prospect of
(01:22):
a third winter without access to their farm. We're going
to chat to Todd Clark. I've already caught up with him, actually,
a Kentucky based US farming correspondent on riots Trump, a
wet and slow spring and making money out of idiot bales.
For the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. Sandra Matthews, National President
(01:42):
of Rural Women and Z also out of Gisbon. And
if I get time interesting story from newa doctor Biata Bukosa.
Someone's done a study and they've discovered that native forest's
quite a good carbon sink. I thought that would be
stating the obvious. But anyhow, in the absence of Damien,
I was going to say Damien Mackenzie my favorite rugby
(02:05):
player of the moment. I actually Georgia miller Is will
go with Damian O'Connor when we can find her. But
up next we're off the Gisbone. One of the best
(02:33):
things about field days is meeting farmers, real farmers. Here's
a couple of farmers I met through Rowena who had
done a story on them about a year ago through Farmstrong.
This is a Gisbone farming couple who are basically stuck
between a rock and a hard place. Their bridge has
been washed away, their only form of access to their farm.
(02:54):
Enn and Helen Burgess join us. Are you facing your
third winter guys? With outer bridge your only way across
the river at this stage other than going a very
long winded way over a neighbors farm track and across
his bridge is via Flying Fox. Did you go out
on the Flying Fox to get to field days, Helen Burgess, Yes.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
It's exactly how we got across, and it was raining
and we ended up with steal to on everything, but
we did it and we got to see you.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Oh well, I'm pleased to see that. Our eyes met
across the room and Rowenna said, you've got to talk
to these farmers, okay, And you're something like a fourth
generation farmer on this farm Inland. I think you're halfway
between where Gisbon and Laikeerri Mowana. You're in the back
blocks there. We attempted to walk off after this. I mean,
farming is a struggle enough when things are going well,
(03:46):
this must be a real impediment to progress.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Yeah. No, we're definitely not came to walk off. We've
been here for four generations. We've actually been in the
district for nearly one hundred and sixty years and on
this particular farm for one hundred and twenty years now.
So yeah, I mean there's a there's a yeah, it's
deeply entrenched in us that you know, the land is
(04:13):
is very special to us. But beside the point, it's
a very good farm, you know, like if it was
a really tough farm to run, then I think we
would have considered moving on. But yeah, it's we spent
our whole life building this, you know, yeah, building this
air set up, and we want to stay here.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Does the bridge service any farms other than yours?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
No, it doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, I'll ask the obvious question and I know the answer,
but I'm going to throw it out there. Why aren't
you to s build a bridge yourself?
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The expense because it's the distance is about forty five meters,
so that puts it into a completely different brackets. So
we're looking at at least two and a half million
to build a bridge, but we feel that we'd deserve
it because you know, we've put millions back into the
community over one hundred and twenty years that we've been here.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Fair enough now, it was the previous bridge that got
washed away and cyclone Gabrielle was built and looked after
by the Gisbon District Council. They're not having a bar
of a new bridge. How are your negotiations going there?
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Yeah, we're sort of getting the extra pasty on Helen's.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Okay, we've got Helen at the other end of the
living room, a bit of separation by mobile phones, so
we don't get feedback. Helen. I hope you heard that question.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yes I did. Yeah, Well, they are doing what they can.
They're sympathetic, but the message that always keep coming across
is that they don't have any money. And we hear
that phrase all the time. But the frustrating thing for
us is seeing money spending places that perhaps it doesn't
(05:57):
need spending. And our course that we talked to the
council and as being said, well we have we create,
and I think and we are economically an asset to
give them economy. We're not a drain and we at
this point in history, we need we need help.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Okay, are there are other farmers post cyclone? Gabrielle and
exactly the same situation for you. Have you got like
a support group? You can't be the only ones with
a bridge washed out that hasn't been replaced yet.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Well, as far as we were aware, and it took
our own networking to find each other, we have formed
a group called a Bridge in Trafferty and there were
originally eight bridges that were gone they've all gradually had
solutions and we're now left, I think with just the
two of us, with the other bridge that he mentioned
(06:52):
earlier that has a farm and a lifestyle block on it.
So it's the two of us that are left, and
we seem to fall between all the craps, all the
funds and organizations and whatever. We seem to sit outside
(07:12):
of that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
What's your next porter call? Do you just have to
be the squeaky wheel?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Absolutely no, we are, and we have had the council
tell us that there is still a possibility of getting
funding and let's hope that that does happen. We will
keep fighting until it does happen. Actually, because we're not
going anywhere. We can't go anywhere. We're here, so we'll
(07:38):
keep fighting. And we have heard there are certain things
I'm in the fire, but nothing confirmed.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So hopefully the Gisbone District Council is taking note of you.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Plea there.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Look, you have my absolute sympathies. Rowena said, you guys
have got a great story, and I know you can
get out on the summer when the river's low, but
when it's high at the time of the year, it's
the flying fox or nothing. You're braver than me. I'm
scared of heights. Ellen, Well, I.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Am a little bit, but I have no choice. Though.
It's amazing since the cyclone, the things that we've we've
done that we wouldn't we wouldn't believe in a million years.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
We did.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
We do we have. I mean I stood up in
front of a chamber of counselors and spoke, and before
that I wouldn't even say thank you at a birthday party.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well there you go. I guess it brings new meanings
doing the weekly shop for the groceries across the Flying
Fox look in and Helen Burgess. I wish you all
the best and good luck, and you fight to get
your bridge back. You're a productive piece of land. We
need as much income as we can from the land.
And please don't plant it and pine trees. I'll see
you later.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Good on you, by, thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Good on you, guys, and good luck. What a tough
story that one is. It's a yeah, absolutely stuck between
a rock and a hard place. This is the country.
I'm Jamie McKay, I have lost I keep wanting to
call him Damien McKenzie. I can't do that. Damian O'Connor,
Labor's trade spokesperson missing in action. I tell you I'm
(09:15):
going to go to next because I've caught up with
him earlier this morning, because it's late evening his time
in the US Todd Clark, Kentucky based US farming correspondent.
Before the end of the hour, Sandra Matthews, National President
of Rural Women, and zed some interesting research on native
forests as a carbon sink from newer and if we
(09:38):
can track them down, Damien McKenzie, and thank you Andy
Muir from the Muster. No one likes the corrector Andy,
but thanks for correcting me. Pronounced go to ya and Kimbra.
Thanks Andy. He's our Kentucky based US farming correspondent. His
(10:14):
name is Todd Clark. We last caught up Todd and May.
A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
They're rioting in the streets in America at the moment.
A lot of anti Trump stuff going on, but where
you're based, it's true blue Republican country. Is anyone protesting
against Trump?
Speaker 5 (10:33):
There? Sure? Good afternoon, Jimmy. There's Saturday, there was a
no King's protest all across the country and a couple
of thousand people were in downtown Lexington protesting, and and
I was hauling hauling cattle to the to the works
this morning and past more protesters on one of the
(10:55):
roads as I drove out. But I wouldn't say that
it's all of America. It's a small percentage. But that's
the good thing about America. You can make your voice heard.
And but at the end of the day, we'll just
carry on.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Well can you make your voice? Doesney? Didn't he bring
the National Garden and Los Angeles anyhow, it's the East
and West coast that don't like them. We'll move on
from Trump. I want to talk about farming. Of course,
we're just heading into winter here northern Hemisphere. You're heading
into your summer. How's it treating you? How was spring?
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Oh? Spring has been tough, and summer is starting out
the same way. It's just relentless rain. And we were
cool through the spring. And when I say we, it's
not just Kentucky, it's the majority of the states east
of the Mississippi, all the way across to the to
the eastern seaboard, so a pretty good, pretty good swath
(11:50):
of area. But today was probably the hottest day that
we've had so far, and it was thirty degrees celsius,
but the humidity was probably sixty sixty five percent, and
so it's just hot and humid and thunderstorms are on
their way this evening. Were probably an hour away from
(12:11):
a rain predictions for the week is probably two to
three inches in Lexington. So far this year we've had
thirty six inches of rain. A normal year is forty
six inches of rain. So we're ten inches away from
a normal year in June.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Yeah, only halfway through the year. Look, I know you've
got your farming fingers and a lot of pies. But
what of the things that you do do or you
did when I was visiting your farm. You made the
way idiot bales, the way square bills for all the
rich thoroughbred horse breeders in Lexington, Kentucky, the thoroughbred capital
(12:48):
of the world. If you want, are you still doing that?
Is the good money in that.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
We still do that? And there is good money in that.
I figured out a long time ago. If it's if
it's hard and no one wants to do it, there
tends to be some money in it. And so the
so the idiot bails certainly certainly make money, but this
year has been so wet that we've not made any
of those yet, and we're still making bailage for cattle
(13:13):
that should have been made three four weeks ago. Just
a few days ago, we were making bailage and having
to push trailers out of the field just because it
rained an inch while we were while we were bailing,
there was standing water in the field. But the eternal optimist,
all farmers are always thinking that it'll get better and
(13:36):
and so that's what we're thinking right now, is that
we just hope that the faucet doesn't completely turn off.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
You mentioned cattle. Are you still getting record prices for
your cattle and the US, because we're certainly getting record
beef prices here in New Zealand, for there are grinding
beef that we're sending over to you guys to put
on your hamburgers.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Yes, it's still still record prices there. I don't want
to say they're softening, but but it's not. It's not
improving each week. We're starting to slow down and just maintain.
But what we would call a cold cow, cold bulls,
things like that, herd sires, that sort of thing that
(14:18):
you're just trying to get rid of those are now
hitting record highs and so a herd bull that maybe
you bought four seasons ago, you're getting as much for
him at at the yards as you would have paid
for him to put into your herd four years ago.
So it's crazy times in the beef industry.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well, a long matte continue for New Zealand farmers. Eventually
you must rebuild your beef herd.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Yeah, we're trying to expand, but we're always trying to expand,
so the so that's nothing new, but so far it's
not happening, but predictions are we're probably twelve months away.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Hi, Todd Clark, I'm out of tom. Thanks for yours.
I've got a good idea for you and your hay
baler in Lexington, Kentucky. Head east, young man and go
to Pennsylvania. There's a piece of land called the Oakmont
Country Club where they've just had the US Golf open.
There's plenty of stuff ready to be made into hay
or silas there. It's called the Rough.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
That's what I've heard.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Thanks, Jimmy Brutal, lovely to catch up. We'll talk again
next month. Good luck getting some dry summer weather.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Good bloke caught up with them earlier this morning so
he could get to bed. He's flat out. Early summer
in Kentucky. Beautiful, beautiful country, and the bluegrass truly is
blue in the spring. Okay, Text coming in, Jamie, I
hope you don't find just Sender's lap dog. Damian O'Connor.
Don't know why you give him the time of day. Well, text,
(15:50):
I do in the interests of balance. Otherwise I'd have
no one from the opposition side of the house to
talk about agriculture. I mean, and the Greens they're completely
la la and on another planet to party Maori likewise,
so the only ones I can talk to is really labor.
I'm just wondering what's happened to their agg policy. They're
(16:11):
kind of playing wait and see, and then they're gonna
cherry pick some of the good ideas I guess that
have been introduced by the current coalition government, who are
certain certainly pretty farmer friendly in my view anyhow, I
would have thought. So that's just one man's opinion. Up next,
as we await Damian O'Connor's arrival on the country, we
(16:34):
might go back to Gisbon because I want to talk
to well do I do? I want to talk to
Sandra Matthews about hormone replacement treatment. Should I go there?
I'll figure that out over the break.
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Oh sweet footicycle, a little.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Besycle and naty screaming.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Harpersycles.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Sandra Matthews is a Gisbone farmer. She is also the
National President of Rural Women in Z. I don't know
how I go about this one. I might have to
tippy toe around at allmone replacement treatment for menopause or woman.
I guess this could be a savior for rural men.
Or am I being a bit cheeky there?
Speaker 8 (17:33):
Sandra, Oh Jamie, you're always cheeky. Good afternoon. It could
be a savior for rural men, the women that are
imperium menopause and menopause and postmenopause. This is a game
changer for women that go through this period of life,
and we all go through it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
I looked at your press release and I was thinking,
I'm due to chat to Sandra. Where do I go? Sandra? Ah, Sandra, Sandra,
the other one Sandra, This is Assandra and Assandra. The
other one is Sandra Faulkner, and she's in the news.
Actually she's in the news. She's jumping up and down
today on behalf of Federated Farmers about rates. I couldn't
(18:09):
agree with them. More farmers get absolutely ripped off for
rates from local body authorities. Don't you reckon? That'll get
your hormonal.
Speaker 8 (18:19):
Now, Jamie k Okay, Yes, yeah it does. I mean,
let's think about right around the country. The percentage of
rate increases is ridiculous. How do we sustain that in
our businesses, in our farming businesses. And we don't get
a lot for it, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
No, that's absolutely You don't get the swimming pool, the library,
a lot of the stuff that US town needs. Just
take for granted rates. Don't start me on this should
be user pays, not not a wealth tax. Talk to
me about these HRT patches' decision. That's good that they're
going to fund another one. What are the issues though,
And it's not only for hormone replacement of medicine, it's
(18:55):
for any sort of medicine that you can't go to
a doctor and get a prescription and that will last
for more than a month. It seems silly, especially for
rural women who may have to travel a couple of
hours each way to renew a prescription. It's weird.
Speaker 8 (19:10):
Yeah, it's a prescription can be done for a longer time, Jamie.
It's the actual dispensing of the prescription. So when a
woman goes into to grab their patches, they can only
be dispensed one month's supply because of the what farmak
are saying that the supply constraints. So for a real
woman point of view, if you're going to town and
(19:32):
they don't have your patch, or you know you're not
going for another month or six weeks, you can't get
an extra supply to take you through. So what we
are advocating for is that three months supply, especially for
real women that have to drive an hour and a
half each way to get to a chemist or get
to town.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yep, totally with you there. Let's move on from the
subject that makes me slightly uncomfortable. Talk to me, Talk
to me about rural connectivity.
Speaker 8 (19:57):
Yeah, that's one thing that we've been heavily advocated waiting
for the copper network being deregulated and obviously closed down.
So it is aging. We do understand that, but they're
still around eighty thousand remaining people on that Copper Copper network,
and we've got members right around the country. They're saying, Hey,
we've got no phone, we've got no cell tower. What
(20:17):
are we going to do? So we're really advocating with
Coorus and with the ministers and departments about a public
education campaign around the alternatives because there are alternatives, but
some of them are quite expensive. So and how do
we bring people along in this change that have literacy barriers.
(20:37):
So that's what we're advocating for at the moment and
heavily involved in.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, that's the best thing we could do for rural productivity.
A reduce the rates we but for the farmers, but
b have much better connectivity, broadband coverage and obviously mobile reception.
Just to finish on this is a really good promotion.
I guess is it for your hundreds or hundred and
fiftieth at Rural Women.
Speaker 8 (21:01):
And Z it's our CENTENNI also it's one hundred years
nineteen twenty five that we kick off in July, and
these wonderful members down in the bottom of the North
Island has spent four years working on the Rural Woman
Rose with Matthew's Nursery and it's been released for sale
and we have a limited number left on our website,
(21:22):
so we'd love members of our rural community to have
a look at gorgeous lilac colored rose, heavily centered flowers
continuously and there's a few left on the website, so
jump on and grab one.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Has it got prickles thorns on it?
Speaker 9 (21:37):
Well?
Speaker 8 (21:38):
All they yeah, you know it's thorny as they are,
the more beautiful they are. But I don't think this
has got a lot of thorns. But I haven't seen
the rose itself as yet, but it's stunning Jamie, and
definitely worse one for your gardener.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Hey you really quickly to finish on. How's the farming
season going in Gisbon.
Speaker 8 (21:55):
Farming seasons good. We've had a little bit more rain
than probably what we need, but I'm never going to
complain about little bits of rain. We've got great grass growth,
there's still growth at the moment. The farms are looking
at picture. Stock are doing well, cattle are doing well,
sheep doing well. Really from a farming perspective up here,
I don't see we have a lot to complain about.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Good on you. Thanks for your time, Sandra Matthews, National
President of Rural Women and ZED always good to catch up.
Speaker 8 (22:24):
Thanks lot a little.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
It is twenty six away from one you're with the country.
Completely coincidental that I'm playing over Max and Sweet but Psycho,
that's got nothing to do with the men apausal women
out there, nothing at all. It's your fault. You put
it in there, Michelle.
Speaker 7 (22:42):
Blaming me for this.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I blame you.
Speaker 7 (22:44):
We were going to get through this without you mentioning
this song, but obviously you can't help.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Well Avermax is doing some New World tour or something. Yeah, catchy,
but anyhow, it was a subject that we had to
address and we haven't the country too. I have to
say this time, m Well, I'm taking instructions from the
program director. Any what we're going to do next. We've
just heard, by the way, from Damian O'Connor's flight got delayed.
(23:12):
I'm going to catch up with him at the end
of their up next to Michelle with Rural News. I
think we've got the latest from the Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey,
which is good, and then we're going to talk to
the team from NIWA. Hopefully if I can track down
doctor Biatta Lukosa. What a great name that is. And
then Damian O'Connor a bit of an argument to round
(23:32):
out the country.
Speaker 6 (23:35):
To someone saying doldrink passion.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
A little beside it is twenty two away from one
the brand. Bring you the brand. Let's go just with
Brent Bring you the Country. His Rural News with Michelle to.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
The Country's World News with Cod Cadets leading right on
Lawnlower brand. Visit steel Ford dot Co dot Nz for
your local.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
Stockist, Thanks Jamie and Farmer confidence in the broader agric
economy remains at a near record high, with the country's
farmers across all sectors looking favorable at the twelve months ahead.
The latest Rabobank Rural Confidence survey that was completed earlier
this month recorded the second highest net reading of plus
forty four percent since quarter two in twenty seventeen. Among
(24:26):
farmers holding a positive outlook on the agri economy, higher
commodity prices, improved marketing, overseas marketing and economies were all
cited as key reasons for optimism. And you can find
more news at the Country dot Co dot Nz.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
His Sport Sport with Afco Kiwi to the bone since
nineteen oh four.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
White Fern's One Day International cricket captain Sophie Divine admits
to coping with the wave of emotions after announcing her
decision to retire from the fifty over format. She will
exit after the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka
which ends in November. And what a champion she has
been and a reminder to sharpened tackle techniques for Crusaders
(25:08):
defense defense coach Matt Todd, a man who knew a
thing or two about tackling in his day. Heading into
Saturday's Super Rugby decider against the Chiefs, four players were
yellow carded across the semifinals for going high. Did you
look up the odds? It will be the old Crusaders
will be favorites at home, are they?
Speaker 7 (25:28):
Noah's the favorites. They're both equal a dollar ninety a.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Dollar ninety each. Well that's not bad.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
No, it's surprising though I thought the same thing. Although
go to the Chiefs to say I mean.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Anyone, I honestly think, I mean, yeah. The Chiefs deserve
to win Super Rugby. They've been bridesmaids for the last
two years and now that Bowden's not playing. Damien's my
favorite player, So I'm going to go with the Chiefs
for the Super Rugby final. Up next for Headington Niwa.
(26:02):
So here's a good news story for you on a Tuesday.
A new one lead study has found New Zealand's native
forests are absorbing more carbon dioxide than previously thought. The
study leader joins us now on the show. Her name
is doctor Biatabukosa, and she says this could have real
implications for New Zealand's greenhouse gas reporting, carbon credit costs,
(26:27):
and climate and land use policies. So how come you
figured this one out, doctor Biata, Because I would have
thought and native forests would have sucked up plenty of
CO two.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
Yeah, that's a very good point. So native forests are
actually assumed to be carbon assumed to be carbon neutral,
so they absorb and emit the same amount of carbon dioxide.
So we use a method called a top down method
where we use atmospheric measurements to calculate how much carbon
dioxide is being taken up and released by New Zealand
(26:59):
on a nation scale, including forests. And what we found
is that there are some quite big differences down in
the South Island around Fjordland and the southwest coast of
the South Island, where it seems to be much more
sew to being taken up by these forests than I can.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
I to stop you there, sorry, it can. I to
stop you to avoid confusion and ask you this question.
You said previously you thought these native forests were carbon neutral.
I thought all along they would have to be carbon positive,
absorbing more than they're emitting.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Yeah, so this is really a balance between mature forests
and other forests just because they start growing it. Basically,
the traditional thinking is their carbon neutral because all the
carbon that they could absorb is already in the tree,
so there's no additional carbon that they can take up.
In contrast to for example, exotic forests, there are a
fast growing forests, then year to year as they're growing,
(27:55):
they're taking up more and more carbon. And the type
of forests that we have done in South Island there
are mature indigenous forests. So that's why the thinking, this
first thinking was happening. However, as I said, it seems
like that that might there might be some other processes
that are leading to additional carbon updates.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
We obviously there's regeneration and Thest Knight of Forests that
must be sucking up a favorite carbon.
Speaker 6 (28:25):
Absolutely, and that's a brilliant point because that is one
of the one of the explanations of this carbon uptake.
We need to remember that these are environments that we
have quite a little bit of landslides, slips, erosion, and
quite a bit of precipitation as well, so some of
the carbon might be transported down into rivers and out
(28:46):
the ocean, but also we have other forms of disturbance
and pest control for example, that can then lead to
additional carbon updates.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Okay, so while the South Island and particularly the Fiordland
Night of Forests doing better than other know, Central North
Island Night of Forest.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
I mean it's really the different we think it's really
due to different environments that have the different impacts that
we have there. As I said, these slips and landslides,
So the North Island is also taking up quite a
bit of carbon. However, when we do these calculation from
atmospheric measurements, our measurement network coverage is stronger in the
(29:27):
South Island at the moment, so we can estimate these
numbers better in the South Island, while in the North island.
There are a few places where we are missing atmospheric measurement,
which means that there might be additional carbon happening there
as an update happening there as well, or carbon source.
We can't really know at this moment, depending on where
(29:48):
we put additional measure additional measurements side.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
So so the final question for you, what are you
guys at may We're going to do with the some formation.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
Yes, So at the moment, with this study, we identify
that there is a discrepancy on how much carbon is
being taken up by this forest. However, we have it
identified the exact processes that are responsible for that carbon
utic and also where the carbon goes. So our next
step is to develop a very detailed method and research
(30:20):
idea to exactly identify the processes responsible for this carbon sink.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Doctor Bieta Bucosa, I love that name. What's the heritage
of that name? For the origin?
Speaker 6 (30:32):
Yeah, so it is originally Hungarian, but I was born
in Serbia, so my accent is kind of a combination
of Serbian Hungarian.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Did you play tennis as a kid. All the good
women's pliers come out of Serbia?
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Yeah, I was more more interested in basketball.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Okay, got on you. Thanks very much for some of
your tom Thanks for being a good sport, interesting information
here on the country. We'll see you later.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
Thank you sometimes.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Uh welcome, my goodness, that's loud. Welcome back to the country.
I blame the chainsaw, misspent youth on a chain saw.
Welcome back to the country. Brought to you by Brant
talking about chainsaws and chopping down things and building things.
(31:22):
You might have a rural community project that needs a
helping hand. It might be your community hall, sports club,
or your school. Need a bit of TLC. Well, we've
got the Rabobank Good Deeds competition. Go to the website
rabobank dot co dot nz and submit your project. You'll
get a five thousand dollars cash a day's labor from
the team at rabobank, and we're even promising to help ourselves.
(31:45):
If you can't find it online, just text good the
word good to five double nine and we'll send you
back the link. The entries close on June the thirtieth.
Well today has been all round rather too nice, really
arguments at all, So I thought I'd finish the show
today with an argument with this man, Damien O'Connor, Labour's
(32:07):
trade spokesperson. But Damien, you stood me up. Thanks for
coming on at the eleventh hour.
Speaker 9 (32:13):
Yeah, well, just some of the year. It seems to
be fig around the place and unfortunately a lot of
planes I think in different places because of the cold,
were grounded. So it's supposed to take off a sex
thirty five and finally got off at about eleven. So
a bit frustrating one of those days.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Okay, so I missed you at field days. Joe Luxton
was crook. I had a yarn to Chippy the boss.
Why are we still playing a waiting game to see
your ag policy? Are you just going to play wait
and see? Hang on, hang on, let me finish the question.
Speaker 9 (32:42):
Invite me to speak to you.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
How are you not as.
Speaker 9 (32:44):
Around you, Jamie. Everyone was nodding their head.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Nodding and nodding their head in agreement with.
Speaker 9 (32:50):
You, and you and you nodding as well. It was
all you know, it's this great but the echo chamber
of the year just in inside the pavilion.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Here's my question, why are we playing wait and see
for you guys to get some egg policy out of here?
You're not going to get voted. In mind, if we
believe the Federated Farmers polled DayMen, they had Labor at
three percent, Greens at two percent, to Party MA or
at one percent between the opposition, you could only muster
six percent of the farmer's vote.
Speaker 9 (33:15):
Why bother, We'll just wait for the pole next year
and then we'll see what happens. And you know, I
mean that there might be a whole lot of people,
you know, feeling good about that the farmer pole. Ultimately,
that's the pole at the election time, and there's a
lot of people out there quite grumby about.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
What absolutely and Labour seems to be doing quite well.
I'm not taking that away from you, but you're not
going to get any votes from the rural community. The
farming sect.
Speaker 9 (33:39):
Well, I'm not too sure about that. There was a
thousand people polled. I'm not sure how they said farmers
poll that, you know, But anyway, without getting into that,
I not there's a lot of people who are a
bit confused about what the government is saying to agriculture.
I mean, there are a lot of positive announcements, will
you know, seen be positive by the government at the
(34:00):
field days. And I acknowledge the uptake of wall carpets
is great to investigate him by diversity, but there wasn't
too many details with some of those announcements, so, you know,
lots of hype and hope. We just need to see
what is delivered, and I think a lot of farmers
wanted to see us.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Do you think that the primary sector penny has finally
dropped for you guys in labor and ship. He's a
bit of a pragmatist. I'll give him credit for that
in terms of the importance of the primary sector to
the New Zealand economy. Sixty million dollars Stamien.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
They announced the Sophie. It didn't quite get to sixty
billion dollars. Great to see that export revenue. You know, actually,
through COVID and through our time in government, we had
steadily increasing export revenue because we were prepared to take
on Bovis and try and sort that out. For the
primary sector. We kept all of those industries going except forestry.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
Ye, no, no, don't, don't. Don't live on past Gloriestamien,
you stop living on past. Glories would have shut farming
down and walk Echanoa would have shut farming down.
Speaker 9 (35:08):
Oh, Jamie that's got you make some ridiculous statements. He
walk Echinoa would probably that one opportunity where we gave
to primary industry leaders the opportunity to grapple with the
challenge of climate change. How we meet our emissions. This
governor has said, oh, the ETS is going to solve
it and some technology, but we don't want people planting trees.
(35:30):
So they're in a muddle when it comes to our emissions.
And the technology is still some way down the track.
So if you're happy to write out a check in
twenty thirty, and I don't think most keywis are, then
we've got to get on and do something.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Let's just finish on a comment from Steve Abel, the
greensag spokesperson, and doesn't he look like a Green agricultural
spokesperson as well? But I shouldn't be judgmental, and he
made a good point on Q and A. He said, well,
we can't plant our way out of pollution with pine trees,
and I think that's something you and I can agree on.
Speaker 9 (36:03):
But that's what the government has proposed. All they have
talked about by way of reducing our omissions or meeting
our international obligations is to have more trees through the ets.
It's crazy. They've got themselves into a pickle and they
need to explain how they're going to get themselves out
of it.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Well, maybe only the return of a labor government with
the Party Marion the Greens can save farming. Damien. That
would be good, that would be something to look for.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
That's the one time I agree with is one sensible
statement you've made to say that if you look through
history and look at the major changes had been made
to the benefit of agriculture that been made under a
labor government.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
There we go, Damien. Ikonnor mind you. There is an
old saying out there that the farmers always make money
under a labor government. Well they didn't in the last one.
That's me done and dust that. I'll catch you back tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Pinecast with Jamie Mgue Thanks to Brent, your specialist in
John Deere Machinery.
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