July 7, 2025 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Cameron Bagrie, Farmer Tom Martin, Sirma Karapeeva, Jo Luxton, and John McOviney.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Brent your specialist in
John dere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I get a.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Little cursers as.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I get a little get a New Zealand Welcome to
the Country. I'm Jamie McKay Cheryl Crow. Apparently the musical
theme today is women who are partners or married to
sports stars? Is Cheryl and Lance Armstrong for a while.
More about that later, but we've got some serious issues
to deal with in the introim. Tomorrow the Reserve Bank
(00:49):
will make an announcement about the official cash right. You
heard Antonia Watson, chief executive of A and Z Bank,
kind of duck for cover on that one on yesterday's show.
But that's chief executive Sharon Zohna is still picking maybe
another three cuts. But worryingly, a lot of economists are
picking that they're not going to do anything tomorrow. I
(01:10):
reckon it's death by a thousand cuts paper cuts if
they don't. But anyhow, Cameron Braggery's going to kick off
the show. We'll get his thoughts on that one. And
Trump's come out with some new stuff on tariff's how's
that going to affect ust and what about the Alliance
Group's capital race. Is the red meat industry a good
industry to be in at the moment It is if
(01:31):
you're a farmer, because you're getting record prices. The meat
companies aren't doing so well, Sir Macarapeaver on that. Earlier
this morning, I caught up with farmer Tom Martin, a
UK farm and correspondent. He's been at that ground Swell
AG festival. It's a big regionagg festival just north of
London and I think he ran into our Southland friend
(01:53):
Grant Lightfoot and his edible bail wrap are Joe Luxton,
Labour's AG spokesperson, and John mcavinie the wait Timo sheep
and beef farmer. Stunning prices are for wiener calves and
store lambs. Happy days for farmers. If only the cost
of running a farm wasn't so high. Eh. Sometimes you
(02:16):
can never please farmers anyhow, Cameron Braggory to kick it off,
we are waiting with baited breath about tomorrow's OCR announcement.
Let's see what an expert has to say on that.
(02:36):
He is opening the batting on the country today. Independent
economists Cameron Baggory, and I'm not sure I want to
ask him this question because I think I know his
answer and I won't like it. Ocr announcement from the
Reserve Bank tomorrow, Cameron, surely, surely they've got to drop
the economy is stagnating.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well, the economy is still struggling. The Reserve Bank just
put out what's called the now cast, which is a
timely measure of GDP, and it suggests the economy might
have taken a step backwards in the June quarter after
getting positive growth in the March in December twenty twenty
four quarter, So she's not plain sailing out there, and
(03:14):
those growth numbers suggest give it another tweak. But the
rezim Bank's got an inflation target and headline inflation has
started to move back up. Yeah, we've still seeing this
inflationary pressures from construction. Retoiling is still a pretty tough gig.
But yeah, food prices are up. You have a look
at medical charges, electricity rates. There's an underlying sticky element
(03:35):
to inflation that's moving headline inflation and core inflation measures
I think are going to start to move back up.
So if as a reserve bank, I'll be pulling a
David long End stopping for a cup of tea and
having a bit of a weight and watch.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah. But under that scenario, and to my mind, economics
one O one Cameron, so I can speak with some
authority on this, the cures worse than the disease.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Well, I guess if you go back to the fundamental
problem that we've got with the New Zealand, if you
want to grow a little bit faster and not create
inflationary pressure, then you've got to have a productive economy.
And if I go back and have a lot of
productivity growth ten years ago, average productivity growth needs to
be one point four percent every year. It's now average
(04:17):
zero point two zero point three percent or so for
the past decade. That's a fundamental problem where your economy
cannot grow very fast without creating inflationary pressure. And when
you see the experts as a share, a GDP tends to
be the explicit that tends to be more productive part
of your economy. You know, when that part is a
(04:38):
smaller part of your overall economy, then you take a
bit of a productivity hit. But we need to get
that zero point two zero point three percent number back
up to one percent. Otherwise it's so called economical revival upturm.
It's not going to look too flash because we're just
going to create an inflation pressure on the other side
and the reserve be We're not like that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A lot of the money markets don't like Trump's latest
announcement on tariffs. We're a trading nation. Any imposition on
free trade around the world is not good for us.
Put simply, no, it's not.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
And we're the tube play international role at table, so
we're beholding to what's going on around the globe. We
had a mighty tail at New Zealand's back over the
sort of nineteen nineties, the two thousand era where the
world played nice. It was all about globalization, outsourcing, connectivity,
free trade agreements, all that sort of stuff. We called
(05:32):
it the Great Moderation because by a large the global economy,
the citizens, the countries, we all got on reasonably well.
What we're seeing now is it a lot more self
interest as opposed to group interest. And that's an economic
model or a scenario where globalization is reversing. People are
starting to look a lot more about onshoing as opposed
(05:54):
to offshuring. Security is a big theme security and food
energy technology. One of those plays into New Zealand strength
in regard to the production of foods. So we're going
to work out how we're going to get more involved
in this different economic environment. But power based policies, anything
to do with protectionism tens the favorite big countries over
(06:17):
small countries, and unfortunately is not a big country. We're
a small one.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
What are you hearing about the capital rays for their
alliance group?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Oh, there's rumors of Yeah. Think I told me that.
Apparently there were three outlets that were looking over it.
But I guess if I sit back and you look
at the bigger picture. We saw have the live stock
slaughtering numbers for the month of May twenty twenty five,
and I think cas cattle was down ten to twenty
percent on May twenty twenty four. Sheep lambs were down
(06:48):
thirty to forty percent on May tw twenty four. Overall
numbers were down sort of thirty percent. Our lines gets
to recapitalized, Is it going to do anything to sort
out the overcapacity within the sector. The answer is no,
there's still a structural problem there that needs to be addressed.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, I see the nbr AS reporting Irish company Dawn
Meats might put in a significant investment and they'll need
one as well. So really interesting when I watch the
space one more to quickly finish on. It's a bit
of a topic desure at the moment. I talked to
Antonio Watson on the show yesterday about this. This is
national super Do we raise the age of eligibility or
(07:28):
do we means test it or do we just not
be brave and sit where we are and go slowly broke.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Well, we won't go broke because at the end of
the day we'll be able leavers that we can pull
and that's either crunch other parts of expenditure. Yes, education, police,
defense won't be grown up as a shary GDP, they'll
be declining as a shary GDP. Increasing usy on superinnuation
(07:57):
sort of course, or as we increase taxits. But there
we cannot continue to filo on the credit card and
the form of debts. So at some stage you're going
to have to buy the bullet. Now. My personal view
is at the retirement age needs to get linked to
life expectancy, and I also believe that at the end
of the day that the wealthy state's there for the needing,
not the greedy. You know, I know people don't like
(08:20):
that sort of phrase, but the end of the day,
you know, there's the money go around here and at
the moment, we're pumping more money into the gray force.
I neu ze one superinnoation than what we are pumping
into the entire education sector acrossing your Now. I challenge
anybody just think whether that makes common sense, because it
makes no sense to me that we're pumping more and
(08:40):
more money into the gray force and that's coming expense
of the future workforce.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Cameron Bagray, always good to get your opinion. I hope
you're wrong on that. I see our announcement tomorrow. We
will wait and see. Thanks for your time, all the best, Jenny.
It is fifteen after twelve. You're with the Country, brought
to you by the team from Brand. Just further to
what Cameron was saying on those trumps, on those trumps,
(09:03):
on those tariffs from Trump, so he's unveiled higher tariffs
for Japan, South Korea and a dozen other countries in
a push for new trade deals, but extended the deadline
for the steeper levies to kick in or not kick in,
until August, so Trump apparently issued similar letters to countries
including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa, and Malaysia, saying he
(09:27):
would slap duties on their products ranging from twenty five
to forty percent. These mark a step up from the
ten percent levy the president earlier imposed on almost all
trading partners, including US, but the starting date of August
one marks a delay in Trump's reimposition of higher duties
(09:49):
originally due this week. So we're going to watch that
one with a lot of interest. Michelle's wandered in here,
Michelle musical theme today women who married in Cheryl Crow's
case almost well, Lance was Lance more famous than Cheryl
Lance Armstrong?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
He probably was at that time, I think because there
was a lot going on. He was still racing I
think at that time as well. So yeah, he probably
was slightly more famous than her.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
At that time.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
And some Spice girls, Yeah, kind of spiral and see Jennifer,
Jennifer Lopez. Is that that's the baseball player, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah? Alex Rodriquez from was he the Red Sox or
the other team?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
No? See the New York Yankees. I've actually just had
to I've had to up. This is useless trivia which
no one will find interesting. But this morning, and under
the cover of darkness, because I was in here quite early,
I had to go and change my golf hat to
my New York I know, this is a boring story
to my New York Yankees hat that I bought when
(10:50):
I was in New York at the end of last year.
Is wherever I go, I buy a hat or a
mug or something just to remember that I was there.
So I went to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. But
the tragedy of the story is, and I'm getting to
the punchline hat. My previous gold hat golf hat was
the Emerson's Tiny Pub hat, and I've lost it. Someone's
pinched it.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Oh that's a Shane Greg if you're listening.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
No, no, no, no, not got my hand out for a
free hat from Emerson's. I enjoyed. I've played some good
golf in that hat. Actually I played a lot of
bad golf in that hat too. Anyhow, up next. Earlier
this morning, I caught up with farmer Tom Martin, who's
been spending time with the Southlander at the ground Swell
(11:32):
Agg Festival just north of London. He's a UK farming
correspondent to Tom Martin, farmer Tom Martin, that's his moniker
(11:56):
on social media. He is an influencer, Tom. Were you
in influencing at the recent Groundswell Regenerative Egg Festival which
is sort of probably near your place because it's just
north of London.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Yeah, it's about half an hour down the road. I
mean I go to Groundswell to be influenced. There's basically
everything that's going on in the world of regenerative agriculture,
mob grazing, all that kind of stuff is happening there
and you normally graciously send a kiwi are two over
and I think you sent us a good one, Missy.
Didn't you tell us chat with a good idea?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, well we've sent a Southlander over there, Grant Lightfoot,
with his sustainable bale net wrap. It's made from plant fibers,
so you can wrap up your hay or your bailage
and then the cattle can eat the rap as well.
I think it's a great idea and apparently Prince William
just loved it. And apparently I hear from your days
in Hollywood Tom and the previous life that you were
(12:47):
sort of mates with the likes of Prince William and
Meghan Markle.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
Not that there mates, that's that couldn't be further from
the truth. My closest brush with that kind of fame
is I used to sell DVDs of soups, which is
of course what Megan Markle appeared in before she married Harry.
So I don't think that counts as a close personal
friend or even a kind of loose acquaintance. But you know,
(13:13):
William was at the festivals, spent a lot of time
walking around meeting people. I mean, he and his father
and well his grandparents and the whole family are very
environmentally minded, very much interested in farming, food and rural life.
So it was great to have him there. And he
gave a fifteen minute address in the Big Top which
I did, which I didn't go to. But yeah, work
(13:35):
very well received and good to have some royal support.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Just on a side note, have you met any of
the rules?
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Yeah? I meant yeah, I met Prince Philip some years ago.
Princess Anne and I went on holiday together to Singapore.
Oh you, and that's pretty much.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
You went on holiday to sing Poor with Prince sayin
So how come. The tabloids didn't pick up on.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
That because I was with about one hundred other people
for the Royal Agriculture Society of the Commonwealth conference. But
it sounds better if I say I went on holiday
with there.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So this Groundswell Agricultural Festival is a big deal. And
Prince William, as you say, very environmentally. We are like
his father. Is he a great supporter of British agriculture.
I'm assuming he is, and and he must be. He
must be at odds with the current labor government.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
They're big supporters of of of of agriculture and you know,
Charles was way ahead of his time in terms of
the environment. I mean that the royal family have various
different estates. I've got a friend who runs one of
the states in Norfolk. I mean, they are interested, they
are progressive, they're environmentally minded, you know, they're they're they're
(14:52):
they're they're a good a good family. And of course
they've got the Dutchy Originals brand which is there, which
is their organic brand from the Dutchy of Cornwall. So yeah,
they are. They're very much on the money, very much
on the money.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
The drought that we've been talking about the driest spring
on record in the UK. This drought has been broken,
and on you this would happened Wimbledon comes along bumper.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Well you called it, Jamie, but I mean having had gosh,
what have we had about thirty mili rain since the
first of March and we normally expect to be five
times that amount. We had sixteen millimeters of rain overnight,
so half an inch in old money. I'm not quite
sure that's the drought broken because we're now going to
(15:35):
get back up into the low to mid thirties in
terms of temperature this week. But yeah, it's going to
be it's going to be a scorch of Thursday Friday
and we'll probably forget that overnight rain that we had
last night. We're just getting into harvest. We've harvested some
of our winter balley winter so in Bali, so yeah,
we're getting into it and half is moving forward.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Well what is it Monday your time? As we called
this interview, Tom, so you've still got another five or
six days or one more month, so you're not without
hope at all. When it comes to the heat wave wave.
We've seen scenes of this not only in the UK
but also in Europe put it into some sort of
historic perspective. How hot has it been?
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Yeah, I mean we haven't broken any records here in
the UK, but I see records, and particularly overnight records
of overnight lows going in or around the Mediterranean. There
was a an incredibly rare event of sea surface temperatures
in the Mediterranean which is I can't remember quite. It's
not a one in a thousand year event. It's a
(16:40):
one in a something million year event, which is which
is incredible heating of that of the sea surface temperature
around the Mediterranean. So it's been extraordinarily warm. That said,
as a farmer, I'm obviously watching that, but I'm watching
the impacts of the major grain producing regions around the world,
and Russia still seems to be doing okay, Ukraine not
(17:02):
too bad. The corn in North America is extraordinary. I
was there a couple of weeks ago and they say
me high by the fourth of July. Well, it was
shoulder high before the fourth of July. So they're really
they're really doing one over there. So it's not it
doesn't give us any good news in terms of our
grain produces here, and in fact, we're seeing some I
think probably historically low grain prices with our historically high
(17:25):
temperatures across the Mediterranean, so it's a bit of a
double whammy USUS farmers. And then and then the backdrop
of course of our situation with taxation as you mentioned earlier.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yes, the inheritance text not very popular at all. We're
so lucky in this country by comparison. Well, at least
you got the Lions to look forward to. Farmer Tom Martin,
thanks for some of your time, and I hope you
get some more rain. Go Lions, Yes, go the Lions.
Looking forward to that. Chat to Chris Russell about that
this week. Hopefully we'll get the dates right at this time.
(17:55):
If you're listening, Chris, it's going to be an interesting
TISS series, the All Black Test Series against France. One gone,
two to go, and Scott Barrett, the All Black captain,
has been ruled out for the remainder of the Test series.
Bad news for Scott Barrett, I'd imagine good news for
Fabian Holland what a good debut he had. Anyhow, no
(18:18):
time to waste. Where Michelle's going to do rural news
shortly and we've got sports news. Will tell you more
about Scott Barrett and Wimbledon. It's all happening, as we
spoke to Farmer time about. But up next another another
good month for the red meat industry. Sirmacara Peaver, chief
Executive of the Meat Industry Association. Here is a good
(18:52):
news story and it continues to be a good news
story not only for farmers but also for the New
Zealand economy. May was another strong month for the New
Zealand red meat industry, particularly exports. Even though volumes are down,
prices were up and this is a pattern that's repeating
itself over the past few months. To tell us more,
Chief Executive of the Meat Industry Association, Sirmacaapeaver, and the
(19:16):
farmers are making good money at the moment, in some
cases record money. The meat processes aren't perhaps fearing as well.
Speaker 7 (19:24):
Yeah, no, that is.
Speaker 8 (19:26):
Indeed the case, and we are hearing from red meat
processes that margins remain tight. You know, there are certainly
issues and that part of the sector. But you know,
on the flip side, farmers are receiving the line's share
of returns, which is great news for them and obviously
also great news for oral communities because the money flows
(19:49):
through and then it goes into the wider New Zealand
economy as well.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
So overall Expert sports exports for the month of May
one point one point five billion, a six point a
six percent increase year on year. US no surprise, is
now our largest red meat market. But I think the
good news story buried in hair Surma is that exports
(20:14):
to China continue to recover.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:17):
Absolutely, We're starting to see the China economy starting to
rebound and recover, which is great. You know, it has
been struggling in the last wee while and we're seeing
now that it's up six percent to two hundred and
forty million. And you know, we were up in China,
(20:38):
We're the Prime Minister. Not too long ago. There was
a lot of excitement about the fact that we were
in the market, that we were relaunching our country Origin
brand and we were looking to offer Chinese consumers a
unique red meat compared to you know, the imports that
(20:58):
are coming from other sources in the world. So I
think there is a good news story there and I'm
very positive that it will continue.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
And another good news story is the fact, and this
obviously has a bit to do with the free trade
agreements as well, and what's happening with Trump and the tariffs,
So what come back to that one? But the UK
rose forty four percent in terms of the exports we're
sending there, red meat exports, and I know we're doing
better or well in the EU at the moment. So
Europe's becoming a more important market for us, just like
(21:30):
the good old days when they used to take everything.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
Well, yes, I suppose so, although you know, they are
still looking for those high value products, which we are
very fortunate that we can provide for them. They're looking
for products with credentials and attributes. Again we are well
placed to provide that. But it is a good news
story and I think you nail that. The actas certainly
(21:56):
seem to be helping unlock those markets a little bit
more for us. So long long may that continue because
we do need that diversification and the optionality more so
to be able to place product on high value markets
so we can extract that economic benefit for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Let's just finish with Trump and his tariffs. So no
one seems to know where is going on these at
the moment. It must be a nightmare for you guys.
In the industry. But as it stands at the moment,
I certainly my understanding is the Americans are seemingly happily
paying the ten percent teriffs themselves just to get the beef.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
Look, I mean, I think in the red meat industry,
there's probably a mix of approaches that companies have taken.
Some are looking to pass that on through to their
customers and the UIs and their customers are then passing
it onto the consumers. Others are looking at other options,
potentially absorbing some of it themselves. So it isn't bag.
(23:00):
But the fact is the US remains our strongest red
meat market at the moment, and demand does look to
be solid, partly because they are going through their own
heard rebuilding phase and so supplies as tight in that
market and they're looking to backfill that with more imports.
But yes, who knows, who knows what happens. I think
(23:23):
tomorrow when we hear from President Trump what he has
decided to do with his initial set of tariffs, whether
they continue, whether there's some negotiation, or what may the
future look like. Anyway, we are prepared and we will
just roll with the punches as it comes our way.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
We will wait with baited breath to see what the
Trumpster does. Issa mccara Peaver from the Meat Industry Association
always good to catch up on the country.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
Absolutely, thanks very much, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Thanks sir beang On twenty five Away from One, the
Country's brought to you by Brand Yeah. As we said earlier,
Donald Trump tariffs ranging from twenty five to forty percent
for the likes of Japan, South Korea and a dozen
other countries. We'll wait and see what he does. Worth
New Zealand. Up next, we will hear the rural news
(24:18):
from Michelle. He got some apple story, haven't you. Yep,
she's nodding hersh We've got an apple story. I've got
some sports news for you. Unfortunately, Scott Barrett's out for
the rest of the French Test series. Tell you about
the black Caps as well. Before the end of the hour,
Joe Luxton, Actually she's got some informed comment. I think
about early childhood education. So if you're earning two hundred
(24:42):
and thirty grand a year, should your household be subsidized?
I would have thought not. I'm with Heather on that one.
And before the end of the hour, why Tomo, sheep
and Beef farmer John mcavinie on record prices for Wiena
cards and store lambs, Welcome back to the country, musical thing,
(25:13):
female singers, the married, famous sports people, A couple of
the Spice girls did that, didn't they did so? David
Beckham and who is the bloke from Red Bull Racing?
Michelle Christian Horner. Christian Horner. There you go, right, Here's
Michelle with the latest and rural news.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
The country's world news with Cob Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand Visit steel Ford dot co
dot incent for your local stockist.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And New Zealand's premium apples have been caught up in
a Canadian consumer backlash of United States products. Canadian consumers
have actively boycotted US products since President Donald Trump launched
his trade war, along with ongoing calls to make Canada
the fifty first state of America. I don't know if
he was very exkistsful with that one, though. Jamie TG
Global's premium Envy and Jazz apples exported to Canada wereckaged
(26:00):
in two point twenty seven kg bags with the prominent
product of USA labeling. And we're not immune to the
consumer bash backlash in Canada apparently. More on that story
on our website and also moraal news on the country
dot co dot NZ.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Sport with AFCO visit them online at AFCO dot co
dot nzed well.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
As I said earlier in the show, All Blacks captain
Scott Barrett has been ruled out for the rest of
New Zealand's Test series with France due to a calf
injury from the first match here in Dunedin. Blackcaps cricket
coach Rob Walter has explained the selection of past bowler
Matt Fiship as a part of his test squad for
the two non World Championship matches against Zimbabwe starting this month.
(26:47):
The twenty five year old comes into consideration with Kyle
Jamison and benc As unavailable, and Fortune has favored the
men's top seed at Wimbledon, Yarnick Sinner, enabling him to
advance to the quarter finals via a walkover i e.
A default. Opponents are Gregor Dimitrov, withdrew due to what
(27:08):
appeared to be a right pectoral injury. He was two
sets to love up with the score two all in
the third, So it looks like Janick Sinner dodged a
bit of a bullet there up next to Joe Luxton,
Labour's ag spokesperson. She is Labour's agriculture spokesperson. Her name
(27:39):
is Joe Luxton. We're going to talk about agg policy
or the lack of it from labor and just a tick.
But Joe, you've got an interesting background, a rural background,
and part of your rural background was setting up an
early childhood education center in Hines in mid Canterbury. Tell
me this, why should anyone or any else household get
(27:59):
it right earning two hundred and thirty grand a year
get subsidized early childhood education If you can't run your
house on that, you can't run a bath?
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Well, good ay, Damie, Yes, well, yes, yeah. I had
an early time center and Hines that I started up
as part of I recognized that lots of people moving
into the area dairy farming that didn't have those family
supports nearby that you sort of tend to look for
when you get busy during carving and you got both
mom and dad, you know, on the farm, and you're
(28:31):
in Calves. And so I opened up a center there
and I think it was two thousand and seventh of
the small rural center. But look, coming to your point
around and come threughsholds in subsidies for that. You know,
if you think about the free EC education for three
year olds and over, there doesn't have a requirement as
(28:51):
to how much you earn or don't earn. So the
one you're referring to, I guess is the one that
the current government has just increased the threshold four, which
is just simply because it's been a fail at policy
from the get go and they've just something done is
to try and encourage more people to take it up.
But it's just an Edmond nightmare and that is why
(29:11):
so many people have not bothered to take it up.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
What about your AG policy? Have you bothered to take
up that? As I said, am I going to be
an old man before you? I'm getting older by the day?
Ja Am I going to be an old man retired
from this job by the time you and Shippy come
out with some egg policy. Come on, the elect got
an election next year?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
Yeah, yeah, next year, but I mean it's not for
quite some time. But to answer your question, look, we
are grafting fat I'm here in Parliament today, down bump up,
putting some bits and pieces together for that. But we
also have a much larger process than just spokespeople involved
in it, So you can be rest assured, Jamie, I
(29:52):
am working on it, and I'll let you know as
soon as we have something to say, which I promise
you will be before the end of this year early
next year. We've got a long time before the election.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Is chippy in danger of sleep walking to victory or
maybe not victory, don't I'm not sure you guys can win,
but sleep walking to a close election because you're not
actually doing that much. You're just relying on the opposition
dropping the ball.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
No lot. There's a lot of work going on behind
the scenes, and we said really early on that we're
not just going to you know, bark in every pass
and pose for the sake of opposing, and we've been
really taking time and being considered about what it is
that we do come out and oppose. But on the
other hand, we've also sort of said things along the line, well,
if the current government puts things in place that are
(30:39):
working for the constituency of New Zealand, then we will
support where support is required. So yes, they are dropping
the ball left, right and center. There's no doubt about that.
But you can be rest assured and your listeners can
actually be rest assured that we are working away on policy.
You don't show your cards too soon, do you, because
the current government, you know, if they think it's a
good idea, they might take it as well. So take
(31:01):
the idea and create it. There's a government policy, so
you know, you just can't show your cards too soon.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
I reckon ship. We must wake up on a cold
sweat at night worrying about being in coalition? Was Chloe
and Debbie and Raweri.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Well, I don't know about to be sleeping here bits,
but what you know, but we are focused on ourselves.
We are the Labor Party. We're not the Green Party
and we're not Patu Marii. We are the Labor Party,
and we're focused on ourselves and developing our policies for
the upcoming election. And there's a lot of stuff to
happen before the next election. And also you know, you're
(31:37):
assuming that everybody will still win the same seats or
the same amount of seats, and who knows what the
outcome of their election will be.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Now talking about sleeping, how did the sleep over go
between as I affectionately call it between labor and federated farmers.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
Well, we had a really really great couple of days.
We had some different people in the room with us
this time. We also had satives from hawtw Zealand Irrigation,
New Zealand, DO and Z. It's all part of that
building a relationships that we got down into the weeds
a bit more this time and heard a bit from
the seeds particularly is to what their thoughts were around
(32:15):
current policy and the direction they wanted to see the
current government's policy going and the stance that they have
had on that. But that was really good and we
did some visits to some different farms and we had
the Paramtary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upston, and we
also had a frame present to us as well. So
it was really good value and I think it will
(32:36):
just go strengths to strengths every year.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
And I know you weren't at the Primary Industry Awards.
Do you see that I made your doppelganger, Kate Middleton?
That was that was good flattery for both of you.
Of course Joe.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
Could yes, yeah, a few people because I have done well.
Text me a screenshot of that comparison that you here
going and I understand there were some quite interesting comparisons
going on, but it sounds like you did a pretty
good job overall from the comments.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Well, there was less flattering comparisons. Yes, I haven't heard
from Andrew Hoggard since that event. I'm hoping we can
kiss and make up. Hey, Joe Luxton, thanks very much
for your time.
Speaker 7 (33:17):
Pleasure, no worry.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
Thanks Joe. Ten away from on you with the country
up next, record prices for calves and lambs, we head
to White Tomo. He is a White Tomo sheep and
beef farmer. We keep an eye on a good ion too,
(33:42):
I might add here on the country John mcavinnie. He's
also the chief executive of Steelfort. He's also an outspoken
critic of left wing politics. I'm not sure if I'll
let him off the chain on that one or not.
But John, I want to start with your calf and
store lamb prices cheap that we talk about yellow gold
with BUTSA but what about black gold? The Angus calves.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Well, we sold these. We sold three hundred calves or
two hundred and ninety six calves in in Taupo last Thursday.
The top calves made thirteen hundred and seventy five bucks
and the sens perkida is probably more relevant at six
dollars ninety akilo, you know, whereas last year it was
(34:25):
four bucks or thereabouts. You know, when you're getting thirty
one hundred and fifty bucks a calf, and we've kept
our top one hundred and fifty calves, so what they
would have made is probably fifteen hundred dollars. So you know,
it's fantastic money. As I say, you know, when you
when you're selling three hundred calves and banking four hundred
three and you know they're making pretty good money. And
you know, I look at it on the basis that
(34:47):
we put a lot of time and effort into it,
and the guys out there and we're awing these calves.
But when they walked into the roster room last Thursday,
they looked fantastic. And normally we were going to hang
onto these caves a bit longer it. You know, our
agent said to me, you need to get in there. Well,
this money's around, and that's what we did.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Well, it looks like it's going to stay around for
two or three years as well, due to the beef shortage,
especially in the US. So you're selling Wiena carves at
thirteen hundred and seventy five dollars. You're selling store lambs
at one hundred and sixty bucks and these were what
thirty five kilos live. Wait, John mcavany, what are you
doing with all your money?
Speaker 5 (35:24):
You're trying to run a farm recently, Jamie, But tell
me it's not cheap, you know, with wages and you know,
I mean, I was saying to the guys the other day,
you know, we were doing some fencing and they'd left
a few batons around the place, and as I drove pass,
I said to my grand Saint, game, grab those batons there,
and he's you know, and they just were there. You know,
I can remember when they were ninety eight cents. Now
(35:46):
they're two dollars twenty. So you know, it's expensive to
run a property these days, not only with wages and
drench and fencing and wire and all that sort of thing.
So you know, I believe we're getting over paid for
what we do.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Okay, let me honest. Move on. Yesterday, when I was
talking to Antonia Watson, chief executive of van Z, you
sent me a text, didn't get a chance to read
it out. Read the age of eligibility for National super
and you said it should be seventy and not means tested.
That's easy for you, John, You've got plenty of money
and you're well on the wrong side of seventy. Do
you think you're being a bit tough?
Speaker 4 (36:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (36:24):
Probably, Yeah, I probably agree with you, Jamie. It should
be probably sixty seven. But you know, people are living
longer now. I mean, you know, I made in next year,
so I look at the situation and say, you know,
I'm probably reasonably for you know, my father died at
seventy eight, so you know people are living longer now.
You know the nutrition and you know people are walking
(36:46):
and doing exercise and you know that sort of thing.
So yeah, people are living a lot longer these days.
So yeah, I don't yeah, generally, I feel but they
should lift see that age up to sixty Sive. I mean,
I think that model that David Seamour put out a
little while ago, you know, it was it was a complex,
(37:07):
It was there a couple of months every six months
or something that they were going to put it up.
I thought that was quite a good model to do,
and it's an incremental, so it would be reasonably easy
to institute.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, and fased on over a period of time. But
I'll give you two reasons why that will never happen.
Winston Peters. Anyhow, I want to furnish with you when
you're not moon well, you're not moonlighting. I think you
do more farming than running steel for these days, Gay
if you're offsider and Palmi runs that. But if I
wanted to buy a cub cadet right on Moack, could
I screw you for a good deal at the moment, John,
(37:37):
it's the off season, you want to get rid of
some stock?
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Yeah, Jamie, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse.
We've got a lot of products setting around at the moment,
and we're always open to a deal. And we did
really well at the field Days this year. You know
from what I get there. You know they can identify,
you know, something like fifty sales directly being involved in
the Field Days, which is fintastic as far as we
(38:00):
can soun. So always open to it, do you, Jamie?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
I know you are. John and macerf An he always
good to chew the fat with your Thanks for not
getting me in trouble today because I was a bit
worried about you. See you later, okay kid, Thanks John,
And someone did mention Shakira she married a famous Spanish footballer.
Some of your feedback, what a load of rock this is,
Joe Lux than all labor have done is barkt cars,
(38:23):
more specifically farmers' utes. That's not a bad text actually.
Tomorrow special co host for the hour David Seymour. Looking
forward to it acting PM. See you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckuay. Thanks to Fred You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Brent your specialist in
John dere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I get a.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Little cursers as.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I get a little get a New Zealand Welcome to
the Country. I'm Jamie McKay Cheryl Crow. Apparently the musical
theme today is women who are partners or married to
sports stars? Is Cheryl and Lance Armstrong for a while.
More about that later, but we've got some serious issues
to deal with in the introim. Tomorrow the Reserve Bank
(00:49):
will make an announcement about the official cash right. You
heard Antonia Watson, chief executive of A and Z Bank,
kind of duck for cover on that one on yesterday's show.
But that's chief executive Sharon Zohna is still picking maybe
another three cuts. But worryingly, a lot of economists are
picking that they're not going to do anything tomorrow. I
(01:10):
reckon it's death by a thousand cuts paper cuts if
they don't. But anyhow, Cameron Braggery's going to kick off
the show. We'll get his thoughts on that one. And
Trump's come out with some new stuff on tariff's how's
that going to affect ust and what about the Alliance
Group's capital race. Is the red meat industry a good
industry to be in at the moment It is if
(01:31):
you're a farmer, because you're getting record prices. The meat
companies aren't doing so well, Sir Macarapeaver on that. Earlier
this morning, I caught up with farmer Tom Martin, a
UK farm and correspondent. He's been at that ground Swell
AG festival. It's a big regionagg festival just north of
London and I think he ran into our Southland friend
(01:53):
Grant Lightfoot and his edible bail wrap are Joe Luxton,
Labour's AG spokesperson, and John mcavinie the wait Timo sheep
and beef farmer. Stunning prices are for wiener calves and
store lambs. Happy days for farmers. If only the cost
of running a farm wasn't so high. Eh. Sometimes you
(02:16):
can never please farmers anyhow, Cameron Braggory to kick it off,
we are waiting with baited breath about tomorrow's OCR announcement.
Let's see what an expert has to say on that.
(02:36):
He is opening the batting on the country today. Independent
economists Cameron Baggory, and I'm not sure I want to
ask him this question because I think I know his
answer and I won't like it. Ocr announcement from the
Reserve Bank tomorrow, Cameron, surely, surely they've got to drop
the economy is stagnating.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well, the economy is still struggling. The Reserve Bank just
put out what's called the now cast, which is a
timely measure of GDP, and it suggests the economy might
have taken a step backwards in the June quarter after
getting positive growth in the March in December twenty twenty
four quarter, So she's not plain sailing out there, and
(03:14):
those growth numbers suggest give it another tweak. But the
rezim Bank's got an inflation target and headline inflation has
started to move back up. Yeah, we've still seeing this
inflationary pressures from construction. Retoiling is still a pretty tough gig.
But yeah, food prices are up. You have a look
at medical charges, electricity rates. There's an underlying sticky element
(03:35):
to inflation that's moving headline inflation and core inflation measures
I think are going to start to move back up.
So if as a reserve bank, I'll be pulling a
David long End stopping for a cup of tea and
having a bit of a weight and watch.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah. But under that scenario, and to my mind, economics
one O one Cameron, so I can speak with some
authority on this, the cures worse than the disease.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Well, I guess if you go back to the fundamental
problem that we've got with the New Zealand, if you
want to grow a little bit faster and not create
inflationary pressure, then you've got to have a productive economy.
And if I go back and have a lot of
productivity growth ten years ago, average productivity growth needs to
be one point four percent every year. It's now average
(04:17):
zero point two zero point three percent or so for
the past decade. That's a fundamental problem where your economy
cannot grow very fast without creating inflationary pressure. And when
you see the experts as a share, a GDP tends to
be the explicit that tends to be more productive part
of your economy. You know, when that part is a
(04:38):
smaller part of your overall economy, then you take a
bit of a productivity hit. But we need to get
that zero point two zero point three percent number back
up to one percent. Otherwise it's so called economical revival upturm.
It's not going to look too flash because we're just
going to create an inflation pressure on the other side
and the reserve be We're not like that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A lot of the money markets don't like Trump's latest
announcement on tariffs. We're a trading nation. Any imposition on
free trade around the world is not good for us.
Put simply, no, it's not.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
And we're the tube play international role at table, so
we're beholding to what's going on around the globe. We
had a mighty tail at New Zealand's back over the
sort of nineteen nineties, the two thousand era where the
world played nice. It was all about globalization, outsourcing, connectivity,
free trade agreements, all that sort of stuff. We called
(05:32):
it the Great Moderation because by a large the global economy,
the citizens, the countries, we all got on reasonably well.
What we're seeing now is it a lot more self
interest as opposed to group interest. And that's an economic
model or a scenario where globalization is reversing. People are
starting to look a lot more about onshoing as opposed
(05:54):
to offshuring. Security is a big theme security and food
energy technology. One of those plays into New Zealand strength
in regard to the production of foods. So we're going
to work out how we're going to get more involved
in this different economic environment. But power based policies, anything
to do with protectionism tens the favorite big countries over
(06:17):
small countries, and unfortunately is not a big country. We're
a small one.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
What are you hearing about the capital rays for their
alliance group?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Oh, there's rumors of Yeah. Think I told me that.
Apparently there were three outlets that were looking over it.
But I guess if I sit back and you look
at the bigger picture. We saw have the live stock
slaughtering numbers for the month of May twenty twenty five,
and I think cas cattle was down ten to twenty
percent on May twenty twenty four. Sheep lambs were down
(06:48):
thirty to forty percent on May tw twenty four. Overall
numbers were down sort of thirty percent. Our lines gets
to recapitalized, Is it going to do anything to sort
out the overcapacity within the sector. The answer is no,
there's still a structural problem there that needs to be addressed.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, I see the nbr AS reporting Irish company Dawn
Meats might put in a significant investment and they'll need
one as well. So really interesting when I watch the
space one more to quickly finish on. It's a bit
of a topic desure at the moment. I talked to
Antonio Watson on the show yesterday about this. This is
national super Do we raise the age of eligibility or
(07:28):
do we means test it or do we just not
be brave and sit where we are and go slowly broke.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Well, we won't go broke because at the end of
the day we'll be able leavers that we can pull
and that's either crunch other parts of expenditure. Yes, education, police,
defense won't be grown up as a shary GDP, they'll
be declining as a shary GDP. Increasing usy on superinnuation
(07:57):
sort of course, or as we increase taxits. But there
we cannot continue to filo on the credit card and
the form of debts. So at some stage you're going
to have to buy the bullet. Now. My personal view
is at the retirement age needs to get linked to
life expectancy, and I also believe that at the end
of the day that the wealthy state's there for the needing,
not the greedy. You know, I know people don't like
(08:20):
that sort of phrase, but the end of the day,
you know, there's the money go around here and at
the moment, we're pumping more money into the gray force.
I neu ze one superinnoation than what we are pumping
into the entire education sector acrossing your Now. I challenge
anybody just think whether that makes common sense, because it
makes no sense to me that we're pumping more and
(08:40):
more money into the gray force and that's coming expense
of the future workforce.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Cameron Bagray, always good to get your opinion. I hope
you're wrong on that. I see our announcement tomorrow. We
will wait and see. Thanks for your time, all the best, Jenny.
It is fifteen after twelve. You're with the Country, brought
to you by the team from Brand. Just further to
what Cameron was saying on those trumps, on those trumps,
(09:03):
on those tariffs from Trump, so he's unveiled higher tariffs
for Japan, South Korea and a dozen other countries in
a push for new trade deals, but extended the deadline
for the steeper levies to kick in or not kick in,
until August, so Trump apparently issued similar letters to countries
including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa, and Malaysia, saying he
(09:27):
would slap duties on their products ranging from twenty five
to forty percent. These mark a step up from the
ten percent levy the president earlier imposed on almost all
trading partners, including US, but the starting date of August
one marks a delay in Trump's reimposition of higher duties
(09:49):
originally due this week. So we're going to watch that
one with a lot of interest. Michelle's wandered in here,
Michelle musical theme today women who married in Cheryl Crow's
case almost well, Lance was Lance more famous than Cheryl
Lance Armstrong?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
He probably was at that time, I think because there
was a lot going on. He was still racing I
think at that time as well. So yeah, he probably
was slightly more famous than her.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
At that time.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
And some Spice girls, Yeah, kind of spiral and see Jennifer,
Jennifer Lopez. Is that that's the baseball player, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah? Alex Rodriquez from was he the Red Sox or
the other team?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
No? See the New York Yankees. I've actually just had
to I've had to up. This is useless trivia which
no one will find interesting. But this morning, and under
the cover of darkness, because I was in here quite early,
I had to go and change my golf hat to
my New York I know, this is a boring story
to my New York Yankees hat that I bought when
(10:50):
I was in New York at the end of last year.
Is wherever I go, I buy a hat or a
mug or something just to remember that I was there.
So I went to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. But
the tragedy of the story is, and I'm getting to
the punchline hat. My previous gold hat golf hat was
the Emerson's Tiny Pub hat, and I've lost it. Someone's
pinched it.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Oh that's a Shane Greg if you're listening.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
No, no, no, no, not got my hand out for a
free hat from Emerson's. I enjoyed. I've played some good
golf in that hat. Actually I played a lot of
bad golf in that hat too. Anyhow, up next. Earlier
this morning, I caught up with farmer Tom Martin, who's
been spending time with the Southlander at the ground Swell
(11:32):
Agg Festival just north of London. He's a UK farming
correspondent to Tom Martin, farmer Tom Martin, that's his moniker
(11:56):
on social media. He is an influencer, Tom. Were you
in influencing at the recent Groundswell Regenerative Egg Festival which
is sort of probably near your place because it's just
north of London.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Yeah, it's about half an hour down the road. I
mean I go to Groundswell to be influenced. There's basically
everything that's going on in the world of regenerative agriculture,
mob grazing, all that kind of stuff is happening there
and you normally graciously send a kiwi are two over
and I think you sent us a good one, Missy.
Didn't you tell us chat with a good idea?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, well we've sent a Southlander over there, Grant Lightfoot,
with his sustainable bale net wrap. It's made from plant fibers,
so you can wrap up your hay or your bailage
and then the cattle can eat the rap as well.
I think it's a great idea and apparently Prince William
just loved it. And apparently I hear from your days
in Hollywood Tom and the previous life that you were
(12:47):
sort of mates with the likes of Prince William and
Meghan Markle.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
Not that there mates, that's that couldn't be further from
the truth. My closest brush with that kind of fame
is I used to sell DVDs of soups, which is
of course what Megan Markle appeared in before she married Harry.
So I don't think that counts as a close personal
friend or even a kind of loose acquaintance. But you know,
(13:13):
William was at the festivals, spent a lot of time
walking around meeting people. I mean, he and his father
and well his grandparents and the whole family are very
environmentally minded, very much interested in farming, food and rural life.
So it was great to have him there. And he
gave a fifteen minute address in the Big Top which
I did, which I didn't go to. But yeah, work
(13:35):
very well received and good to have some royal support.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Just on a side note, have you met any of
the rules?
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Yeah? I meant yeah, I met Prince Philip some years ago.
Princess Anne and I went on holiday together to Singapore.
Oh you, and that's pretty much.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
You went on holiday to sing Poor with Prince sayin
So how come. The tabloids didn't pick up on.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
That because I was with about one hundred other people
for the Royal Agriculture Society of the Commonwealth conference. But
it sounds better if I say I went on holiday
with there.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So this Groundswell Agricultural Festival is a big deal. And
Prince William, as you say, very environmentally. We are like
his father. Is he a great supporter of British agriculture.
I'm assuming he is, and and he must be. He
must be at odds with the current labor government.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
They're big supporters of of of of agriculture and you know,
Charles was way ahead of his time in terms of
the environment. I mean that the royal family have various
different estates. I've got a friend who runs one of
the states in Norfolk. I mean, they are interested, they
are progressive, they're environmentally minded, you know, they're they're they're
(14:52):
they're they're a good a good family. And of course
they've got the Dutchy Originals brand which is there, which
is their organic brand from the Dutchy of Cornwall. So yeah,
they are. They're very much on the money, very much
on the money.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
The drought that we've been talking about the driest spring
on record in the UK. This drought has been broken,
and on you this would happened Wimbledon comes along bumper.
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Well you called it, Jamie, but I mean having had gosh,
what have we had about thirty mili rain since the
first of March and we normally expect to be five
times that amount. We had sixteen millimeters of rain overnight,
so half an inch in old money. I'm not quite
sure that's the drought broken because we're now going to
(15:35):
get back up into the low to mid thirties in
terms of temperature this week. But yeah, it's going to
be it's going to be a scorch of Thursday Friday
and we'll probably forget that overnight rain that we had
last night. We're just getting into harvest. We've harvested some
of our winter balley winter so in Bali, so yeah,
we're getting into it and half is moving forward.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Well what is it Monday your time? As we called
this interview, Tom, so you've still got another five or
six days or one more month, so you're not without
hope at all. When it comes to the heat wave wave.
We've seen scenes of this not only in the UK
but also in Europe put it into some sort of
historic perspective. How hot has it been?
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Yeah, I mean we haven't broken any records here in
the UK, but I see records, and particularly overnight records
of overnight lows going in or around the Mediterranean. There
was a an incredibly rare event of sea surface temperatures
in the Mediterranean which is I can't remember quite. It's
not a one in a thousand year event. It's a
(16:40):
one in a something million year event, which is which
is incredible heating of that of the sea surface temperature
around the Mediterranean. So it's been extraordinarily warm. That said,
as a farmer, I'm obviously watching that, but I'm watching
the impacts of the major grain producing regions around the world,
and Russia still seems to be doing okay, Ukraine not
(17:02):
too bad. The corn in North America is extraordinary. I
was there a couple of weeks ago and they say
me high by the fourth of July. Well, it was
shoulder high before the fourth of July. So they're really
they're really doing one over there. So it's not it
doesn't give us any good news in terms of our
grain produces here, and in fact, we're seeing some I
think probably historically low grain prices with our historically high
(17:25):
temperatures across the Mediterranean, so it's a bit of a
double whammy USUS farmers. And then and then the backdrop
of course of our situation with taxation as you mentioned earlier.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yes, the inheritance text not very popular at all. We're
so lucky in this country by comparison. Well, at least
you got the Lions to look forward to. Farmer Tom Martin,
thanks for some of your time, and I hope you
get some more rain. Go Lions, Yes, go the Lions.
Looking forward to that. Chat to Chris Russell about that
this week. Hopefully we'll get the dates right at this time.
(17:55):
If you're listening, Chris, it's going to be an interesting
TISS series, the All Black Test Series against France. One gone,
two to go, and Scott Barrett, the All Black captain,
has been ruled out for the remainder of the Test series.
Bad news for Scott Barrett, I'd imagine good news for
Fabian Holland what a good debut he had. Anyhow, no
(18:18):
time to waste. Where Michelle's going to do rural news
shortly and we've got sports news. Will tell you more
about Scott Barrett and Wimbledon. It's all happening, as we
spoke to Farmer time about. But up next another another
good month for the red meat industry. Sirmacara Peaver, chief
Executive of the Meat Industry Association. Here is a good
(18:52):
news story and it continues to be a good news
story not only for farmers but also for the New
Zealand economy. May was another strong month for the New
Zealand red meat industry, particularly exports. Even though volumes are down,
prices were up and this is a pattern that's repeating
itself over the past few months. To tell us more,
Chief Executive of the Meat Industry Association, Sirmacaapeaver, and the
(19:16):
farmers are making good money at the moment, in some
cases record money. The meat processes aren't perhaps fearing as well.
Speaker 7 (19:24):
Yeah, no, that is.
Speaker 8 (19:26):
Indeed the case, and we are hearing from red meat
processes that margins remain tight. You know, there are certainly
issues and that part of the sector. But you know,
on the flip side, farmers are receiving the line's share
of returns, which is great news for them and obviously
also great news for oral communities because the money flows
(19:49):
through and then it goes into the wider New Zealand
economy as well.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
So overall Expert sports exports for the month of May
one point one point five billion, a six point a
six percent increase year on year. US no surprise, is
now our largest red meat market. But I think the
good news story buried in hair Surma is that exports
(20:14):
to China continue to recover.
Speaker 6 (20:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:17):
Absolutely, We're starting to see the China economy starting to
rebound and recover, which is great. You know, it has
been struggling in the last wee while and we're seeing
now that it's up six percent to two hundred and
forty million. And you know, we were up in China,
(20:38):
We're the Prime Minister. Not too long ago. There was
a lot of excitement about the fact that we were
in the market, that we were relaunching our country Origin
brand and we were looking to offer Chinese consumers a
unique red meat compared to you know, the imports that
(20:58):
are coming from other sources in the world. So I
think there is a good news story there and I'm
very positive that it will continue.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
And another good news story is the fact, and this
obviously has a bit to do with the free trade
agreements as well, and what's happening with Trump and the tariffs,
So what come back to that one? But the UK
rose forty four percent in terms of the exports we're
sending there, red meat exports, and I know we're doing
better or well in the EU at the moment. So
Europe's becoming a more important market for us, just like
(21:30):
the good old days when they used to take everything.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
Well, yes, I suppose so, although you know, they are
still looking for those high value products, which we are
very fortunate that we can provide for them. They're looking
for products with credentials and attributes. Again we are well
placed to provide that. But it is a good news
story and I think you nail that. The actas certainly
(21:56):
seem to be helping unlock those markets a little bit
more for us. So long long may that continue because
we do need that diversification and the optionality more so
to be able to place product on high value markets
so we can extract that economic benefit for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Let's just finish with Trump and his tariffs. So no
one seems to know where is going on these at
the moment. It must be a nightmare for you guys.
In the industry. But as it stands at the moment,
I certainly my understanding is the Americans are seemingly happily
paying the ten percent teriffs themselves just to get the beef.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
Look, I mean, I think in the red meat industry,
there's probably a mix of approaches that companies have taken.
Some are looking to pass that on through to their
customers and the UIs and their customers are then passing
it onto the consumers. Others are looking at other options,
potentially absorbing some of it themselves. So it isn't bag.
(23:00):
But the fact is the US remains our strongest red
meat market at the moment, and demand does look to
be solid, partly because they are going through their own
heard rebuilding phase and so supplies as tight in that
market and they're looking to backfill that with more imports.
But yes, who knows, who knows what happens. I think
(23:23):
tomorrow when we hear from President Trump what he has
decided to do with his initial set of tariffs, whether
they continue, whether there's some negotiation, or what may the
future look like. Anyway, we are prepared and we will
just roll with the punches as it comes our way.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
We will wait with baited breath to see what the
Trumpster does. Issa mccara Peaver from the Meat Industry Association
always good to catch up on the country.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
Absolutely, thanks very much, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Thanks sir beang On twenty five Away from One, the
Country's brought to you by Brand Yeah. As we said earlier,
Donald Trump tariffs ranging from twenty five to forty percent
for the likes of Japan, South Korea and a dozen
other countries. We'll wait and see what he does. Worth
New Zealand. Up next, we will hear the rural news
(24:18):
from Michelle. He got some apple story, haven't you. Yep,
she's nodding hersh We've got an apple story. I've got
some sports news for you. Unfortunately, Scott Barrett's out for
the rest of the French Test series. Tell you about
the black Caps as well. Before the end of the hour,
Joe Luxton, Actually she's got some informed comment. I think
about early childhood education. So if you're earning two hundred
(24:42):
and thirty grand a year, should your household be subsidized?
I would have thought not. I'm with Heather on that one.
And before the end of the hour, why Tomo, sheep
and Beef farmer John mcavinie on record prices for Wiena
cards and store lambs, Welcome back to the country, musical thing,
(25:13):
female singers, the married, famous sports people, A couple of
the Spice girls did that, didn't they did so? David
Beckham and who is the bloke from Red Bull Racing?
Michelle Christian Horner. Christian Horner. There you go, right, Here's
Michelle with the latest and rural news.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
The country's world news with Cob Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand Visit steel Ford dot co
dot incent for your local stockist.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And New Zealand's premium apples have been caught up in
a Canadian consumer backlash of United States products. Canadian consumers
have actively boycotted US products since President Donald Trump launched
his trade war, along with ongoing calls to make Canada
the fifty first state of America. I don't know if
he was very exkistsful with that one, though. Jamie TG
Global's premium Envy and Jazz apples exported to Canada wereckaged
(26:00):
in two point twenty seven kg bags with the prominent
product of USA labeling. And we're not immune to the
consumer bash backlash in Canada apparently. More on that story
on our website and also moraal news on the country
dot co dot NZ.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Sport with AFCO visit them online at AFCO dot co
dot nzed well.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
As I said earlier in the show, All Blacks captain
Scott Barrett has been ruled out for the rest of
New Zealand's Test series with France due to a calf
injury from the first match here in Dunedin. Blackcaps cricket
coach Rob Walter has explained the selection of past bowler
Matt Fiship as a part of his test squad for
the two non World Championship matches against Zimbabwe starting this month.
(26:47):
The twenty five year old comes into consideration with Kyle
Jamison and benc As unavailable, and Fortune has favored the
men's top seed at Wimbledon, Yarnick Sinner, enabling him to
advance to the quarter finals via a walkover i e.
A default. Opponents are Gregor Dimitrov, withdrew due to what
(27:08):
appeared to be a right pectoral injury. He was two
sets to love up with the score two all in
the third, So it looks like Janick Sinner dodged a
bit of a bullet there up next to Joe Luxton,
Labour's ag spokesperson. She is Labour's agriculture spokesperson. Her name
(27:39):
is Joe Luxton. We're going to talk about agg policy
or the lack of it from labor and just a tick.
But Joe, you've got an interesting background, a rural background,
and part of your rural background was setting up an
early childhood education center in Hines in mid Canterbury. Tell
me this, why should anyone or any else household get
(27:59):
it right earning two hundred and thirty grand a year
get subsidized early childhood education If you can't run your
house on that, you can't run a bath?
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Well, good ay, Damie, Yes, well, yes, yeah. I had
an early time center and Hines that I started up
as part of I recognized that lots of people moving
into the area dairy farming that didn't have those family
supports nearby that you sort of tend to look for
when you get busy during carving and you got both
mom and dad, you know, on the farm, and you're
(28:31):
in Calves. And so I opened up a center there
and I think it was two thousand and seventh of
the small rural center. But look, coming to your point
around and come threughsholds in subsidies for that. You know,
if you think about the free EC education for three
year olds and over, there doesn't have a requirement as
(28:51):
to how much you earn or don't earn. So the
one you're referring to, I guess is the one that
the current government has just increased the threshold four, which
is just simply because it's been a fail at policy
from the get go and they've just something done is
to try and encourage more people to take it up.
But it's just an Edmond nightmare and that is why
(29:11):
so many people have not bothered to take it up.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
What about your AG policy? Have you bothered to take
up that? As I said, am I going to be
an old man before you? I'm getting older by the day?
Ja Am I going to be an old man retired
from this job by the time you and Shippy come
out with some egg policy. Come on, the elect got
an election next year?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
Yeah, yeah, next year, but I mean it's not for
quite some time. But to answer your question, look, we
are grafting fat I'm here in Parliament today, down bump up,
putting some bits and pieces together for that. But we
also have a much larger process than just spokespeople involved
in it, So you can be rest assured, Jamie, I
(29:52):
am working on it, and I'll let you know as
soon as we have something to say, which I promise
you will be before the end of this year early
next year. We've got a long time before the election.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Is chippy in danger of sleep walking to victory or
maybe not victory, don't I'm not sure you guys can win,
but sleep walking to a close election because you're not
actually doing that much. You're just relying on the opposition
dropping the ball.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
No lot. There's a lot of work going on behind
the scenes, and we said really early on that we're
not just going to you know, bark in every pass
and pose for the sake of opposing, and we've been
really taking time and being considered about what it is
that we do come out and oppose. But on the
other hand, we've also sort of said things along the line, well,
if the current government puts things in place that are
(30:39):
working for the constituency of New Zealand, then we will
support where support is required. So yes, they are dropping
the ball left, right and center. There's no doubt about that.
But you can be rest assured and your listeners can
actually be rest assured that we are working away on policy.
You don't show your cards too soon, do you, because
the current government, you know, if they think it's a
good idea, they might take it as well. So take
(31:01):
the idea and create it. There's a government policy, so
you know, you just can't show your cards too soon.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
I reckon ship. We must wake up on a cold
sweat at night worrying about being in coalition? Was Chloe
and Debbie and Raweri.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Well, I don't know about to be sleeping here bits,
but what you know, but we are focused on ourselves.
We are the Labor Party. We're not the Green Party
and we're not Patu Marii. We are the Labor Party,
and we're focused on ourselves and developing our policies for
the upcoming election. And there's a lot of stuff to
happen before the next election. And also you know, you're
(31:37):
assuming that everybody will still win the same seats or
the same amount of seats, and who knows what the
outcome of their election will be.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
Now talking about sleeping, how did the sleep over go
between as I affectionately call it between labor and federated farmers.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
Well, we had a really really great couple of days.
We had some different people in the room with us
this time. We also had satives from hawtw Zealand Irrigation,
New Zealand, DO and Z. It's all part of that
building a relationships that we got down into the weeds
a bit more this time and heard a bit from
the seeds particularly is to what their thoughts were around
(32:15):
current policy and the direction they wanted to see the
current government's policy going and the stance that they have
had on that. But that was really good and we
did some visits to some different farms and we had
the Paramtary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upston, and we
also had a frame present to us as well. So
it was really good value and I think it will
(32:36):
just go strengths to strengths every year.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
And I know you weren't at the Primary Industry Awards.
Do you see that I made your doppelganger, Kate Middleton?
That was that was good flattery for both of you.
Of course Joe.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
Could yes, yeah, a few people because I have done well.
Text me a screenshot of that comparison that you here
going and I understand there were some quite interesting comparisons
going on, but it sounds like you did a pretty
good job overall from the comments.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Well, there was less flattering comparisons. Yes, I haven't heard
from Andrew Hoggard since that event. I'm hoping we can
kiss and make up. Hey, Joe Luxton, thanks very much
for your time.
Speaker 7 (33:17):
Pleasure, no worry.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
Thanks Joe. Ten away from on you with the country
up next, record prices for calves and lambs, we head
to White Tomo. He is a White Tomo sheep and
beef farmer. We keep an eye on a good ion too,
(33:42):
I might add here on the country John mcavinnie. He's
also the chief executive of Steelfort. He's also an outspoken
critic of left wing politics. I'm not sure if I'll
let him off the chain on that one or not.
But John, I want to start with your calf and
store lamb prices cheap that we talk about yellow gold
with BUTSA but what about black gold? The Angus calves.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Well, we sold these. We sold three hundred calves or
two hundred and ninety six calves in in Taupo last Thursday.
The top calves made thirteen hundred and seventy five bucks
and the sens perkida is probably more relevant at six
dollars ninety akilo, you know, whereas last year it was
(34:25):
four bucks or thereabouts. You know, when you're getting thirty
one hundred and fifty bucks a calf, and we've kept
our top one hundred and fifty calves, so what they
would have made is probably fifteen hundred dollars. So you know,
it's fantastic money. As I say, you know, when you
when you're selling three hundred calves and banking four hundred
three and you know they're making pretty good money. And
you know, I look at it on the basis that
(34:47):
we put a lot of time and effort into it,
and the guys out there and we're awing these calves.
But when they walked into the roster room last Thursday,
they looked fantastic. And normally we were going to hang
onto these caves a bit longer it. You know, our
agent said to me, you need to get in there. Well,
this money's around, and that's what we did.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Well, it looks like it's going to stay around for
two or three years as well, due to the beef shortage,
especially in the US. So you're selling Wiena carves at
thirteen hundred and seventy five dollars. You're selling store lambs
at one hundred and sixty bucks and these were what
thirty five kilos live. Wait, John mcavany, what are you
doing with all your money?
Speaker 5 (35:24):
You're trying to run a farm recently, Jamie, But tell
me it's not cheap, you know, with wages and you know,
I mean, I was saying to the guys the other day,
you know, we were doing some fencing and they'd left
a few batons around the place, and as I drove pass,
I said to my grand Saint, game, grab those batons there,
and he's you know, and they just were there. You know,
I can remember when they were ninety eight cents. Now
(35:46):
they're two dollars twenty. So you know, it's expensive to
run a property these days, not only with wages and
drench and fencing and wire and all that sort of thing.
So you know, I believe we're getting over paid for
what we do.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Okay, let me honest. Move on. Yesterday, when I was
talking to Antonia Watson, chief executive of van Z, you
sent me a text, didn't get a chance to read
it out. Read the age of eligibility for National super
and you said it should be seventy and not means tested.
That's easy for you, John, You've got plenty of money
and you're well on the wrong side of seventy. Do
you think you're being a bit tough?
Speaker 4 (36:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (36:24):
Probably, Yeah, I probably agree with you, Jamie. It should
be probably sixty seven. But you know, people are living
longer now. I mean, you know, I made in next year,
so I look at the situation and say, you know,
I'm probably reasonably for you know, my father died at
seventy eight, so you know people are living longer now.
You know the nutrition and you know people are walking
(36:46):
and doing exercise and you know that sort of thing.
So yeah, people are living a lot longer these days.
So yeah, I don't yeah, generally, I feel but they
should lift see that age up to sixty Sive. I mean,
I think that model that David Seamour put out a
little while ago, you know, it was it was a complex,
(37:07):
It was there a couple of months every six months
or something that they were going to put it up.
I thought that was quite a good model to do,
and it's an incremental, so it would be reasonably easy
to institute.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, and fased on over a period of time. But
I'll give you two reasons why that will never happen.
Winston Peters. Anyhow, I want to furnish with you when
you're not moon well, you're not moonlighting. I think you
do more farming than running steel for these days, Gay
if you're offsider and Palmi runs that. But if I
wanted to buy a cub cadet right on Moack, could
I screw you for a good deal at the moment, John,
(37:37):
it's the off season, you want to get rid of
some stock?
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Yeah, Jamie, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse.
We've got a lot of products setting around at the moment,
and we're always open to a deal. And we did
really well at the field Days this year. You know
from what I get there. You know they can identify,
you know, something like fifty sales directly being involved in
the Field Days, which is fintastic as far as we
(38:00):
can soun. So always open to it, do you, Jamie?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
I know you are. John and macerf An he always
good to chew the fat with your Thanks for not
getting me in trouble today because I was a bit
worried about you. See you later, okay kid, Thanks John,
And someone did mention Shakira she married a famous Spanish footballer.
Some of your feedback, what a load of rock this is,
Joe Lux than all labor have done is barkt cars,
(38:23):
more specifically farmers' utes. That's not a bad text actually.
Tomorrow special co host for the hour David Seymour. Looking
forward to it acting PM. See you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckuay. Thanks to Fred You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
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