June 26, 2025 • 6 mins
The President of Federated Farmers reviews a very successful PINZ Summit and Awards this week in Christchurch. Plus, we discuss why farmer politics is such a brutal business.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wayne Langford is the President of Federated Farmers coming his
team have done an excellent job over the past two
days in christ Church for the primary industry in New
Zealand's Summit, Wonderful Farming Conference and of course the awards.
You're a busy man, Wayne Langford, because you're not only
the president of Federated Farmers, you're the acting CEO. Why
(00:22):
did Terry Copeland, your existing chief executive, resign so suddenly
this week?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh afternoon, Jamien, you must be a top tier radio station,
because I've just stepped out of our AGM that's currently running.
We're up to room at number six. They have a
yant here. So but in terms of you a question there, Terry,
he's put in a fantastic effort at Federal Farmers. Seven
years he's been with us. He's been indicating to us
for it for a while now that he's there's going
(00:49):
to be heading off, and so it's just a few
weeks ago we got the news and he's heading off.
So we wish him, wish him well where he's going.
He's done a top job lifting lifting our organization to
what it is now. And when I'm really excited to
see what the what the next step brings.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
And I know that the summit and the awards were
his Brainsholt, so congratulations on that. But I just can't
leave it at that. You don't normally announce your resignation
on a Monday and go on a Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Hey, you don't normally do that, But Feeds don't normally
do a lot of things in that and so so
that's just what we're doing. Like I said, we're pretty
aware of it, and we've actually got a really great
senior management team that can can handle the load there.
In between, we're out to market to see what's out there.
So no doubt you've got some listeners that will probably
be putting up their hands and sending me an email saying, hey,
I want to be in control of the best and
(01:39):
largest organization avacy organization in the world.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, okay, I'm not quite sure I buy that, but anyhow,
let's move on. And I must say, Federated Farmers and
I think you guys are doing a really good job
of advocacy. And I think Groundswell turned up at the
right sort of time and gave Feeds a bit of
a punt up the backside. And I think you're doing
a good job, but it is a brutal business. I
(02:04):
see Toby Williams, another one of your spokespeople or presidents.
What the chair should I say of meat and Well?
I thought he'd done an excellent job advocating for meat
and wool farmers, especially around carbon forestry. He's gone, He's
been replaced by and I met him yesterday. What's Richard
(02:26):
Dawkins from Marlborough as the Meat and wool chair? Why?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, that's right. Democracy and action and then fire a
part of that as well. So I set through that
process and the mean Will Council from across the country
voted for that. You're right, Toby has done an absolutely
amazing job advocacy. You think he's He took over from
William Eath and coming out of the back end of
(02:52):
the Walker Canar, we gave that on the boot and
then also he led the way through the cyclone recovery,
so extremely extremely great advocate for met and will sector.
I think most farmers will acknowledge that he's really lifted
that advocacy and really put the pressure on the government
to get results for the government. So you know it's
(03:13):
the sexts men turned over to Richard, and no doubt
Richard's going to do a great job as well. So
looking forward to working with them.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Well, it ages me. I'm talking about Richard Dawkins. He
introduced himself to me yesterday and said you won't know me,
but I'm standing against Toby. But you do know my father.
You used to interview him as a minor the farmer.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, that's right. I used to be the youngest one
on the board and now I think Richard Dawkins is
pipping me. So yeah, yeah, no, No, we've got two
new young guys. Cal Dean's also taken over from Richard
McIntyre as well in the dairy section. That was expected
as you know, Richard's heading off to Darien's ed. So
now we've got two new board members and we're looking
forward to, like I say, what they can add to defeit.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah. As you look back on the summit and the awards,
what were the highlights for you?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'll start with number one, just just honoring a Cross
on the awards that that was really special. You know,
Chris was mess a part of the fed's family, uh
and and to acknowledge him in that way was fantastic.
So that's great. So you know, it's one of our
families there, emerging leader a number of the scientists that
got up and were rewarded and ultimately really there as well.
(04:18):
How fantastic was that? So so that was good. But
I think there was there was a couple of sessions
there and I don't know if you noticed, but I
was actually doing a coffee run for my wife at
one stage, and at one stage I couldn't walk in
because the crowd was literally just on the edge of
their seats listening to the speaker on the first morning there,
Mike wavery every name, sorry sorry.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Mike, Michael Avery from Rabo Bank. I call him an alarmist,
but gee, he made people think, didn't he.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, he had them on the edge of their seats,
all right, and he really he really got the conference
off to a great start. And you know, there was
a real high CALIBERI speakers this year, and everyone seemed
to be really engaged. So a solid conference and one
of certainly one of the better ones I've think too
for a while.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
I think it was great. He kicked got off. In fact,
I think Todd McClay kicked it off and then him
was it you and your keynote because it's the death
seat doing the last speech on the last afternoon, But
Emma Paul and Tim Dangel did an excellent job.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, that's right, that's right. We had clear tailor too
that on the first day she had to do the
last on that day and then she was fantastic and
then you're right and Tim fantastic again. Yeah. Yeah, they're
such great advocates for rural New Zealand as well.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Your wife, Tyler, lovely woman. She's a great advocate for you,
although she didn't mind putting the boot and she did
say to me after the awards evening that I failed
to mention that I had beaten you and I'm giving
you twenty three years. I think in the Toyota the
pull off, if I can use those words, are there
Wayne at the Toyota site during field days victory for
(05:48):
the ages or the aged.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, I've had a few embarrassing moments in my lifeline
was at the Art Museum and Grand Crishus there which
I have to share with you another day. And that
was another one. So I can't I can't defend it.
That's what happened. But but no, doubt. It's got me
out on. I've got my running shoes back out. I'm
be running and training again because that was embarrassing. You know.
I need to pick my game up.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Thank you, Thanks for you, Thanks for the good work.
Congratulations for your team, to your team for putting on
a very good conference and awards.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Jammy
Wayne Langford is the President of Federated Farmers coming his
team have done an excellent job over the past two
days in christ Church for the primary industry in New
Zealand's Summit, Wonderful Farming Conference and of course the awards.
You're a busy man, Wayne Langford, because you're not only
the president of Federated Farmers, you're the acting CEO. Why
(00:22):
did Terry Copeland, your existing chief executive, resign so suddenly
this week?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh afternoon, Jamien, you must be a top tier radio station,
because I've just stepped out of our AGM that's currently running.
We're up to room at number six. They have a
yant here. So but in terms of you a question there, Terry,
he's put in a fantastic effort at Federal Farmers. Seven
years he's been with us. He's been indicating to us
for it for a while now that he's there's going
(00:49):
to be heading off, and so it's just a few
weeks ago we got the news and he's heading off.
So we wish him, wish him well where he's going.
He's done a top job lifting lifting our organization to
what it is now. And when I'm really excited to
see what the what the next step brings.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
And I know that the summit and the awards were
his Brainsholt, so congratulations on that. But I just can't
leave it at that. You don't normally announce your resignation
on a Monday and go on a Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Hey, you don't normally do that, But Feeds don't normally
do a lot of things in that and so so
that's just what we're doing. Like I said, we're pretty
aware of it, and we've actually got a really great
senior management team that can can handle the load there.
In between, we're out to market to see what's out there.
So no doubt you've got some listeners that will probably
be putting up their hands and sending me an email saying, hey,
I want to be in control of the best and
(01:39):
largest organization avacy organization in the world.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, okay, I'm not quite sure I buy that, but anyhow,
let's move on. And I must say, Federated Farmers and
I think you guys are doing a really good job
of advocacy. And I think Groundswell turned up at the
right sort of time and gave Feeds a bit of
a punt up the backside. And I think you're doing
a good job, but it is a brutal business. I
(02:04):
see Toby Williams, another one of your spokespeople or presidents.
What the chair should I say of meat and Well?
I thought he'd done an excellent job advocating for meat
and wool farmers, especially around carbon forestry. He's gone, He's
been replaced by and I met him yesterday. What's Richard
(02:26):
Dawkins from Marlborough as the Meat and wool chair? Why?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, that's right. Democracy and action and then fire a
part of that as well. So I set through that
process and the mean Will Council from across the country
voted for that. You're right, Toby has done an absolutely
amazing job advocacy. You think he's He took over from
William Eath and coming out of the back end of
(02:52):
the Walker Canar, we gave that on the boot and
then also he led the way through the cyclone recovery,
so extremely extremely great advocate for met and will sector.
I think most farmers will acknowledge that he's really lifted
that advocacy and really put the pressure on the government
to get results for the government. So you know it's
(03:13):
the sexts men turned over to Richard, and no doubt
Richard's going to do a great job as well. So
looking forward to working with them.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Well, it ages me. I'm talking about Richard Dawkins. He
introduced himself to me yesterday and said you won't know me,
but I'm standing against Toby. But you do know my father.
You used to interview him as a minor the farmer.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Well, that's right. I used to be the youngest one
on the board and now I think Richard Dawkins is
pipping me. So yeah, yeah, no, No, we've got two
new young guys. Cal Dean's also taken over from Richard
McIntyre as well in the dairy section. That was expected
as you know, Richard's heading off to Darien's ed. So
now we've got two new board members and we're looking
forward to, like I say, what they can add to defeit.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah. As you look back on the summit and the awards,
what were the highlights for you?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'll start with number one, just just honoring a Cross
on the awards that that was really special. You know,
Chris was mess a part of the fed's family, uh
and and to acknowledge him in that way was fantastic.
So that's great. So you know, it's one of our
families there, emerging leader a number of the scientists that
got up and were rewarded and ultimately really there as well.
(04:18):
How fantastic was that? So so that was good. But
I think there was there was a couple of sessions
there and I don't know if you noticed, but I
was actually doing a coffee run for my wife at
one stage, and at one stage I couldn't walk in
because the crowd was literally just on the edge of
their seats listening to the speaker on the first morning there,
Mike wavery every name, sorry sorry.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Mike, Michael Avery from Rabo Bank. I call him an alarmist,
but gee, he made people think, didn't he.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, he had them on the edge of their seats,
all right, and he really he really got the conference
off to a great start. And you know, there was
a real high CALIBERI speakers this year, and everyone seemed
to be really engaged. So a solid conference and one
of certainly one of the better ones I've think too
for a while.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
I think it was great. He kicked got off. In fact,
I think Todd McClay kicked it off and then him
was it you and your keynote because it's the death
seat doing the last speech on the last afternoon, But
Emma Paul and Tim Dangel did an excellent job.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, that's right, that's right. We had clear tailor too
that on the first day she had to do the
last on that day and then she was fantastic and
then you're right and Tim fantastic again. Yeah. Yeah, they're
such great advocates for rural New Zealand as well.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Your wife, Tyler, lovely woman. She's a great advocate for you,
although she didn't mind putting the boot and she did
say to me after the awards evening that I failed
to mention that I had beaten you and I'm giving
you twenty three years. I think in the Toyota the
pull off, if I can use those words, are there
Wayne at the Toyota site during field days victory for
(05:48):
the ages or the aged.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, I've had a few embarrassing moments in my lifeline
was at the Art Museum and Grand Crishus there which
I have to share with you another day. And that
was another one. So I can't I can't defend it.
That's what happened. But but no, doubt. It's got me
out on. I've got my running shoes back out. I'm
be running and training again because that was embarrassing. You know.
I need to pick my game up.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Thank you, Thanks for you, Thanks for the good work.
Congratulations for your team, to your team for putting on
a very good conference and awards.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Jammy
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