January 12, 2026 • 6 mins
Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s chairwoman on how the summer has been for farmers so far, and the FTA with India. Beef + Lamb NZ turns 75 this year. What's on the cards?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Radio boards here of beef and lamb in ze. Kate
Ackland joins us. Now welcome to twenty twenty six. Kate,
how's the year started for you?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Oh hi, hey, mach Look, it's been a fantastic start
for the year. We've had a couple of inches of
rain at nunt Summers and the grass is growing again,
so that's very positive. And actually twenty twenty five ended
up with some really good things happening in the last
few weeks.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah, what happened there?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
What were some of those things that have given us
a spring in our step for twenty six Well.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I still has just given us a bit more certainty
in the trade space, so you know, of course it
started with the US removing the tariff on beef. That
was really positive, and then we had the announcement of
the India Esta, which is something that we've been working
on for twenty years. So big shout out from Minister
McClay for getting that across the line. And you know
it's not perfect as far as dairy goes that India
(00:53):
has never done a deal on dairy and so the
fact that we're now on parler of Australia is really
good and then the other one that people might have
missed is the China these safeguards, and that was announced
around New Year's Eve actually, so that's a good way
to disappear some news. But we got an announcement of
a quota going into China, which isn't good, but we
(01:16):
actually ended up with a quota that we don't think
is going to disrupt trade, and we've ended up actually
a lot better than some of our counterparts like Australia
and Brazil. So that was a really positive light in
the year on and that just gives us a bit
of certainty going into this year.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yes, because that is something as you say, that could
have you know, had negative connotations. But with an okay quota,
that's that's actually good news.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh it's really good news. And look, I know that
officials and ministers were working on this right right up
through the holiday period, so you really want to acknowledge
all the hard work that went into getting us a
pretty good outlook, pretty good outcome, I should.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Say, yeah, yep, And I'll look with the India FTA
Free Traderamon and Minister Maclay mentioned and I got really
I did get a bit wound up as to how
many sort of were trying to find the.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Negatives in it.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Were working so hard on this thing for so long
that it felt to me like across the board there
was just a little bit too much of that.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, and look, it's a long term play right strategically,
this India is going to be a really important market
for us. It's not going to happen overnight. It's not
going to sort of not next next week or even
next year. We may not see the results, but it's
really important for us to have options. And what is
you know the world's fastest growing economy, most populous country,
so you know it's a great outcome.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So what I got coming up sort of in the
in the positive fun space, National Lamb Day always like
National Lamb Day.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, National Land Day's assistance of Sadruury where we'll be
hosting all the politicians for a barbecue for some land
lollipops on the eleventh of Sedbruurary. And that it's always
great because you get you know, ministers from across government
turning up having a chat and always try and get
some farmers along there to have a good chat to
the ministers. So that's a really great event and there'll
(03:12):
be people hosting barbecues across the country hopefully. And the
other thing that's happening for us this year is it's
the seventy fifth anniversary of the Sheep and Beef Survey,
which is something that Beef and Land runs and it's
five hundred farms from across the country that we collect
data from and we're the only country in the world
that's been doing it for this long and our wealth
(03:33):
and depth of information is just outstanding that we get.
So you know, the fact that we're reaching seventy five
years for that this year, well, and it's a bit
of a nerdy thing, maybe, but we're definitely going to
have a celebration because it's really important for our sector.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, I imagine it is.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I take one of the things that I know, and
I think we as a nation and urbanites are far
more interested in rural New Zealand than they ever let on.
And I and I always get to asked this question,
and I'm going to come to you as the expert
on this seventy million sheep when I left high school
twenty odd now, and yet we're producing just as much
(04:11):
Lamb and I say to people because we're probably pushing
two hundred percent lambing and then the live weights is
so much better. Is that kind of like if I
kind of got it right, and I imagine those sort
of statistical things would be collected across this survey, So.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You've kind of got it right. I mean, we're about
less than half the U numbers, and I think we're
about twelve percent in terms of volume of product exported.
And that is through just those incremental gains that farmers
are making year after year, and that continual gain to
be more efficient and more productive. You know, we could
say that we are the most productive sector in this country.
(04:47):
And the games that we continue to make is what's
put us in such a good position. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Absolutely, Now, talking of being efficient and productive, when one
decides to do something as a gutsy or as crazy
as a as a half iron man, how's that all
going for you, Kate Ekland?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Well, it's getting better. It was looking at GRIM last
year because I've been traveling so much, i hadn't really
done the training. But I've had three weeks at home
and it's been like an intensive training camp. So I'm
starting to feel like I'm going to get there. But
I was just talking off here with Michelle, your producer,
and she's an iron manner from way back, so she's
been giving me all the all the hot tips and
(05:25):
the advice. She's the exert on that one.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
She is one hell o than athlete. Yeah. Well, as
long as you're being efficient and getting the right result.
What's the hardest part of the training.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Well, I'm not a runner, so I'm really struggling with
the running. But you know, for me, it's actually just
about setting a goal and finishing it. You know, I'm
certainly not gonna be breaking any records. As long as
I make the finish line, I'll be happy.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah. Now, so when is it? When and where are we?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It is March six to March.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
In Okay, might talk before then, we'll certainly talk after it.
Kate Ekland, what's what's on the training menu today?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Well, I was up early for US one this morning,
so training's done and dusted.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Done and dusted beautiful. You have a great date. Thanks
for chatting.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Thanks Sails.
Radio boards here of beef and lamb in ze. Kate
Ackland joins us. Now welcome to twenty twenty six. Kate,
how's the year started for you?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Oh hi, hey, mach Look, it's been a fantastic start
for the year. We've had a couple of inches of
rain at nunt Summers and the grass is growing again,
so that's very positive. And actually twenty twenty five ended
up with some really good things happening in the last
few weeks.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah, what happened there?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
What were some of those things that have given us
a spring in our step for twenty six Well.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I still has just given us a bit more certainty
in the trade space, so you know, of course it
started with the US removing the tariff on beef. That
was really positive, and then we had the announcement of
the India Esta, which is something that we've been working
on for twenty years. So big shout out from Minister
McClay for getting that across the line. And you know
it's not perfect as far as dairy goes that India
(00:53):
has never done a deal on dairy and so the
fact that we're now on parler of Australia is really
good and then the other one that people might have
missed is the China these safeguards, and that was announced
around New Year's Eve actually, so that's a good way
to disappear some news. But we got an announcement of
a quota going into China, which isn't good, but we
(01:16):
actually ended up with a quota that we don't think
is going to disrupt trade, and we've ended up actually
a lot better than some of our counterparts like Australia
and Brazil. So that was a really positive light in
the year on and that just gives us a bit
of certainty going into this year.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yes, because that is something as you say, that could
have you know, had negative connotations. But with an okay quota,
that's that's actually good news.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh it's really good news. And look, I know that
officials and ministers were working on this right right up
through the holiday period, so you really want to acknowledge
all the hard work that went into getting us a
pretty good outlook, pretty good outcome, I should.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Say, yeah, yep, And I'll look with the India FTA
Free Traderamon and Minister Maclay mentioned and I got really
I did get a bit wound up as to how
many sort of were trying to find the.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Negatives in it.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Were working so hard on this thing for so long
that it felt to me like across the board there
was just a little bit too much of that.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah, and look, it's a long term play right strategically,
this India is going to be a really important market
for us. It's not going to happen overnight. It's not
going to sort of not next next week or even
next year. We may not see the results, but it's
really important for us to have options. And what is
you know the world's fastest growing economy, most populous country,
so you know it's a great outcome.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So what I got coming up sort of in the
in the positive fun space, National Lamb Day always like
National Lamb Day.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, National Land Day's assistance of Sadruury where we'll be
hosting all the politicians for a barbecue for some land
lollipops on the eleventh of Sedbruurary. And that it's always
great because you get you know, ministers from across government
turning up having a chat and always try and get
some farmers along there to have a good chat to
the ministers. So that's a really great event and there'll
(03:12):
be people hosting barbecues across the country hopefully. And the
other thing that's happening for us this year is it's
the seventy fifth anniversary of the Sheep and Beef Survey,
which is something that Beef and Land runs and it's
five hundred farms from across the country that we collect
data from and we're the only country in the world
that's been doing it for this long and our wealth
(03:33):
and depth of information is just outstanding that we get.
So you know, the fact that we're reaching seventy five
years for that this year, well, and it's a bit
of a nerdy thing, maybe, but we're definitely going to
have a celebration because it's really important for our sector.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, I imagine it is.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
I take one of the things that I know, and
I think we as a nation and urbanites are far
more interested in rural New Zealand than they ever let on.
And I and I always get to asked this question,
and I'm going to come to you as the expert
on this seventy million sheep when I left high school
twenty odd now, and yet we're producing just as much
(04:11):
Lamb and I say to people because we're probably pushing
two hundred percent lambing and then the live weights is
so much better. Is that kind of like if I
kind of got it right, and I imagine those sort
of statistical things would be collected across this survey, So.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You've kind of got it right. I mean, we're about
less than half the U numbers, and I think we're
about twelve percent in terms of volume of product exported.
And that is through just those incremental gains that farmers
are making year after year, and that continual gain to
be more efficient and more productive. You know, we could
say that we are the most productive sector in this country.
(04:47):
And the games that we continue to make is what's
put us in such a good position. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Absolutely, Now, talking of being efficient and productive, when one
decides to do something as a gutsy or as crazy
as a as a half iron man, how's that all
going for you, Kate Ekland?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Well, it's getting better. It was looking at GRIM last
year because I've been traveling so much, i hadn't really
done the training. But I've had three weeks at home
and it's been like an intensive training camp. So I'm
starting to feel like I'm going to get there. But
I was just talking off here with Michelle, your producer,
and she's an iron manner from way back, so she's
been giving me all the all the hot tips and
(05:25):
the advice. She's the exert on that one.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
She is one hell o than athlete. Yeah. Well, as
long as you're being efficient and getting the right result.
What's the hardest part of the training.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Well, I'm not a runner, so I'm really struggling with
the running. But you know, for me, it's actually just
about setting a goal and finishing it. You know, I'm
certainly not gonna be breaking any records. As long as
I make the finish line, I'll be happy.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah. Now, so when is it? When and where are we?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It is March six to March.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
In Okay, might talk before then, we'll certainly talk after it.
Kate Ekland, what's what's on the training menu today?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Well, I was up early for US one this morning,
so training's done and dusted.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Done and dusted beautiful. You have a great date. Thanks
for chatting.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Thanks Sails.
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