March 19, 2026 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Wayne Langford, Mike Casey, Dom Jones, Emma Poole, Tim Dangen, and Chris Brandolino.
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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 Farmlands delivering solutions for
strong productive crops.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I'm to you driving this chevally the daddy ball new bagging.
It is more roan, too tall paint for turner key
and it a crank. My first kid files and never
formed same one. I'm still pigging all. I've done a
boy selling of times got up. We'll to just good
(00:37):
and give it a you can sett'll make him like
that nor more.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
They don't make him like that no more. Riley Green
going Country on the Country. Kicking off the show today,
Wayne Langford, president of Federated Farmer's recent birthday boy, making
an announcement today about his political future. Mike Casey was
recognized last night the Electric Chair Grower. He's a good
mate of Wayne Langford's as well at the New Zealander
(01:03):
of the Year Awards. We're going to catch up with him.
Dom Jones, MD of Origin Capital Partners, Kiwi Fruit Growing
Managed Fund. The prospect the very real prospect of three
really good years in a row for the Kiwi fruit industry.
Today's Farmer Panel Emma Paul, Tim Dangin brother and sister
former Young Farmers of the Year and weather man Chris Brandolina.
(01:25):
She's pretty settled around the country. In fact, it's getting
a bit dry in many places, but there is a
change coming.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Let's welcome on to the country the President of Federated Farmers,
Wayne Yolo. You only live once Langford And did I
get it wrong about you standing in West Coast tasman
for the Labor Party or the National Party or New
Zealand First for that matter, Wayne, Good, afternoon.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
Afternoon, Jamie. Well, you know you went from you went
wrong from the point of view that I certainly got
approached man so which which was a huge honor and
to be you know, I'm pretty humble that ill that
was asked. But at the same time, yeah, it's just
not for me right now. My future is as it
FEDS and as as I mentioned to you, I want
to keep the job gun that we're doing it FEDS
(02:10):
and and so that's that's where we stands. I can
confirm I won't be running for the for the bee.
I've come over him.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Wayne, your time will come. Are we going to leave?
I'm flying a kite here, but are we going to
leave West Coast Tasman to another former president of Federated Farmers.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, I don't know if it's official yet, but you've
seen it on your show, so it must be. Although
you do you do have a habit of spreading malicious rumors.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
No, no, not malicious rumors. Well, look I was sort
of right, Chippy had approached.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
You, right, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
We had a discussions. Yeah, and so you know, and
you know, you get that a lot in this world.
So so that's that's all fine. Okay, Well yeah, but
we we are hearing that kadim So potentially running on
the West Coast, right, So so that's that's very good.
And you know, a good good feeds old girl. So
still you'll go well, and.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I should be a great local MP for West Coast Tasman. Looks.
It's good that you've decided to stay on for another year.
Did you get quite a bit of pressure to do
that considering at your last election around your meeting, you
did lose some of the senior management if you want,
or senior senior position holders and Federated Farmers. Have you
(03:25):
got an anointed successor?
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Yeah, and I guess you're talking about probably Richard Mackintydrea
to here, Toby Williams me and wheelchair here. We had
a few changeovers. We've obviously had the changeover with the
with our CEO. We're brought and brought in Mike Simons
there and Terry left us after seven years. So my
council now the way it works at Feathers that I
need permission to be able to stand for election, and
so my National Council gave me that permission in November. However,
(03:52):
I still do need to run on an election and
we're not sure yet who's whether others are putting their
name forward or whether whether it's just me. But I
am declaring that I will be running again, so that's good.
But yeah, it feeds. You're up for election every year,
and that's one of the best things about being fed
prison is that you're held accountable by your members every year.
(04:15):
You know, you don't get a three year term and
get to you know, get to go soft for two years.
They hold you to account every year and that's what
it's all about.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
As Toby Williams found out, right, I'm glad you're staying
for another year because you've done an excellent job and
not peeing in your pocket here, stability.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Don't speak too certain the National Council for you to
decide that, not me.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
And yeah, okay, I know you and Mike Casey, you're
good mates. We're going to have him on the show shortly,
the electric Cheery grower. What a great advocate he is
for electrifying New Zealand, and I guess Trump's doing a
good job promoting that the need to maybe look for
alternative energy sources.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
Yeah, one an absolute legendarily a guy that's put his
hard and soul onto that. And he's also you know,
he's an orchidus, but i'd call him a passionate farmer.
He's a member of Federated Farmers and he was he
was very quick to sign up. He saw what we
do and he got amongst it. But what he's done there,
and particularly what he's doing for agriculture, so really hammering
home that ability for small scale on farm generation and
(05:15):
the incentives that possibilities that could be offered for farmers
that are wanting to do it. You know, he will
get a lot of wins over the line for farmers
across the country. Even though you know he's an electric courtchard.
Just down there in Cromwell, you will be pleased.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
And you were front and center with the announcement with
Todd maclay about the Rural Mental Health Fund announcement. I know,
I know providers like old mild Mate, Wiggy Craig, Wiggy Wiggins,
lean on the gate, talk to a mate, they're very
excited about this.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Yeah, and you'd know from from speaking with Wiggy that
you know he was he was doing what he was
doing off the smell of min oily rag, you know,
and and just just trying to get it done really
for the for the sake of you know, the rural
sector and those that are those that are batling at
times and so to be able to chuck some support
him behind what he's doing and some of the others
there the likes of surfing for farmers and some work
(06:08):
that young farmers are doing and others. That's that's what
the fund was all about, was saying, hey, there's a
lot of projects going on. There's a lot of people
that come asking for funding, but how can we make
sure these core ones that we do are strong and
un well locked after and that farmers can get this
border and when they need it.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, and let's not forget our friends at farm Strong
who are doing an absolutely fantastic job.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Can I tell you someone else we shouldn't forget him,
So as Minister McLay and Minister do to beget an
under line. But Minister McLay was instrumental in getting it
over the line. He said when he looked at it,
when I touched it to him, he said, this is
this is a no brainer. Let's get this done and
let's you know, this is not one that needs to
sit on the tables for years. So congratulations to him
(06:54):
on that one too.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah, he's done a good job. He's been very good
as Minister of Agriculture. And try it. I'll give him that,
just fine. Lead Pins. That's the primary industry summit of
New Zealand. It's it's probably the most prestigious farming conference
of the year. Can I say that you like way?
And I can probably say it to you because it's
sort of your conference.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Well, i'd like to think so. And it's a unique
conference because you know, we're not talking about the necessarily
the on farm stuff. We're talking about more sector wide
industry issues and it's certainly won a lot of people
being too. So that's that's fantastic. It's it's it's getting
better and better every year, which is which is great.
And ultimately tell you now this year, adding a couple
of new sections to the award section, which happens midway
(07:37):
through the conference as well, should be should be a
good knight.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah. Nominations closed for those primary industry awards on the
first of April, and I think you've got a Rural
Woman of the Year and the Rural Communicator of the Year.
I'm hearing Andy Thompson's nominated himself. I just I don't
know if I could be in the room if Thompson
won that.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
That's right, that yeah, great, great to What it was
all about was we've got a lot of awards and
stuff they're going around the country, and how can we
bring some of them in together. And so the journalist awards,
you know, they happen at another time, let's bring them in.
A rural woman, let's work with a royal women. They
need a bit of a pump up right now, so
(08:17):
let's get that supported. And yeah, let's turn these awards
in to a big night and a big night for
the sector.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Good stuff. Looking forward to it. Hey, Wayne, Langford. I'm
really pleased to hear, while I'm disappointed I didn't pick
it exactly right on West Coast Tasman close though, I'm
very close. Will await Katie Melons announcement or if there
is going to be one, And I'm glad to see
you're still at the helm of Federated Farmers, hopefully for
another year. Well done, Jammy, there we go. He has
(08:44):
done a very good job. He's a very good front
man for New Zealand agriculture. Wayne Langford, President of Federated Farmers.
Right up next one of us good mates, Federated Farmers
member Mike Casey, the electric cherry grower, the chief executive
of Rewiring at Rowers, very passionate about alternate energy sources
(09:07):
and I think Trump's doing him a big favor at
the moment in his crusade. Mike Casey up next. Before
the end of the hour, Dom Jones talking Kiwi Fruit
Farmer Panel, Emma Paul and Tim Dangean, Chris Brandolino on
the weather, give.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Me full ocsis tracting rule, Bruce and Whisky. Rid's in
a dirt hard works dive, Santa Fence rule. We stand
for the flag, if.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
His name is Mike Casey here is the electric cherry farmer.
He is the chief executive of Rewiring at Rower. He
is the New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year. Of course,
New Zealander of the Year was named. Should I say
last night, Sir Rod Drury, but you've really made it,
Mike Casey. I'm humbled to have you on my show.
(09:57):
Not only all those accolades, but you're also a personal
friend of Mike Hosking the Hosk How did you do
all that?
Speaker 7 (10:05):
Well?
Speaker 8 (10:06):
Thank you very much, David. I must really appreciate the
fact that you. I'm always welcome on your show. We've
had a number of making chats over the years.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
How have I done it?
Speaker 8 (10:15):
It's it's it's as much of a puzzle to you
as it is to me. I just haven't shut up
about what I what I my vision for farming, vision
for the country, I guess over the last few years
and somehow it's all it's all coming up Trump's at
the moment, which is which is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Well kiw we Banker New Zealander of the Year, as
we said, Sir Rod A. Drury of Queenstown. Of course,
of zero fame. He's it must be wonderful even to
be mentioned in the same breath as him.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
I mean, I've been a personal friend of Rod for
a few years now, ever since he moved to Queenstown.
Came out very early with hang on, hang on, hang on.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
A personal friend of Sarad and a personal friend of
the Hosk do your personal friendships. Well, I'm flattered honored
that I be mentioned in the same breath you do.
Move and rarefied air Mike Casey.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
I pinched myself every day that I get to talk
to so established New Zealanders like Sir Jamie and the
Hosk and Rodgery. But it's you know, it's just it
just comes from the journey of electrifying the farm and
then really trying to help other farmers. So I think
the one big thing in all of this is I
just want to thank the primary sector of New Zealand
(11:26):
for taking me in. I was a tech broke from
me that had no idea how to grow cherries, and
the cherry farmers of Cromwell came together and helped me
figure out how to do that. And I'm just contributing
as much as I can back to the primary sector,
and yeah, never forget my roots. And also it's chaps
like you that make sure they don't go too woke.
And I think that's what's ultimately made my message so effective,
(11:48):
is it's all about smart business lowering farm and pop costs.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
So yeah, just Mike, do you realize the irony that
Donald Trump is doing you a huge favor at the moment?
Didn't you crusade to electrify New Zealand because he alone
seems to be renewing the interest in evs.
Speaker 8 (12:08):
I'm a bit worried about our fuel security at the moment.
I mean, the thing is is we can talk about
electric machines in terms of cars and maybe horticulture tractors,
but so much of New Zealand's economy runs on liquid
fuels that we import from overseas, and that's just really
out of our controls. So my big thing moment is, yeah,
all the machines that we could electrify, whether it's the
(12:29):
city people's vehicles maybe, whether it's some of our own
vehicles and rural New Zealands. The more we electrify, the
more liquid fuels we have available for the machines that
truly need to keep our economy going, and that's our
trucks and our tractors and our harvesters and our boats
and our planes. So very very worried about what might
be potentially coming up in the next month or so.
(12:50):
And I think this is where we need to band
together and I'll certainly be making sure my evs are
available to those community services, those vital community services, and
Cromwell really do start to get into a fuel crunch.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
We need to build some resilience in this country, not
only around fertilizer, but also around fuel. And you think
of solar panels charging electric vehicles and whether they're are
plug ins or hybrids or straight out electric vehicles. Might
that has to be the future so we can stand
alone and maybe be self sufficient and energy because we're
so far off it at the moment.
Speaker 8 (13:24):
One hundred and seventy thousand cars electrified will buy us
about another day's worth of fuel. Stories we've got all
million cars in New Zealand, I think four point one
million cars, So you get the idea about how far
we could go electrifying machines that don't need these liquid
fuels anymore, so that we can that we have the
fuel for the machine that ultimately do And this is
(13:46):
just as technology producers like, as I say to farmers
all the time, right tool for the job is so important.
The last thing I want you to do is stop
farming or find it hard to farm. So it's what
are those machines on farm or what are those machines
that your relatives might have in the sea that we
can look at electrifying first to start running on New
Zealan made energy. And I think that's ultimately the message
(14:08):
that brought us all together. If you're you know, if
you're a climate advocate, to you know, a farmer in
New Zealand, the whole thing around New Zealand made energy
just makes sense to everyone. So that's what I guess
I get super excited about.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Okay, good on you for your crusade to electrify New Zealand.
Just finally, and I've got like thirty seconds Mike Casey,
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year. How's the cherry
season washed up for you?
Speaker 8 (14:34):
So it was a pretty rough season and all Orty like,
it was a cold summer, which meant our cheres took
a lot longer to ripen. And on top of that,
we just had sort of almost like just just like
clock work, these twenty mil to thirty mil rain events
which are caused a lot of damage to cherries. So
you know, we're quite down this year, but that's in
a way farming. We made enough to pay you know,
(14:57):
pay back the loans a little bit of we pay
the interest, but not really take too much in the
way I step forwards. And definitely not a return on
investment from the capital this year that was into our
cherry orchard. But you live to fight another day, and
I think that's really important, you know, as I'm only
a few years into farming myself, but learning that is
super important because ultimately, you know, all farmers at different
(15:18):
times go through these kinds of bad seasons and we
all need to be there to support each other. Yeah,
I'm hoping for a much better season next year.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Good on your Micah, farming was easy. Everyone would be
doing a congratulations on being named the New Zealand Sustainability
Leader of the Year. Always good to catch up mate, cheers.
Speaker 8 (15:35):
It's always good. Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Pleasure was all mine. Mike Casey here is a champion
for his cause. Right from the text machine. Remember yesterday
we were looking for a job and the one or
two region for a vet student, Young Ted Menzi's son
of Greg who's the marketing manager at Emerson's. They'll be
(15:58):
busy tonight ahead of the Hurricanes Highlanders game at Forsyth
bar Stadium.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
So where is it?
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Where's my tear? Or just listening to yesterday's show, how
did young Ted get on getting a job? Simon from
South Tarahaki Simon, thanks for listening, really appreciate it. We
got teed a job and Michelle's in the process now
of responding and we had I think four or five
or six offers. So look, thank you so much for
(16:27):
everyone who offered an opportunity to a very bright young
man studying veterinary science at Messi University. Up next, Tom Jones,
another bright blog talking Kiwi Fruit.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
DOM.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Jones is at Keiwi Fruit Correspondent based out of the
Bay of Plenty, where else He's the managing director of
Origin Capital Partners, Kiwi Fruit Growing Managed Fund and DOM.
As it stands at the moment, there's a lot of
an interest in your industry, namely because the Kiwi fruit
industry is going great guns him.
Speaker 9 (17:07):
Thanks having me on. Yeah, look, Kiwi fruits in a
bit of a purple patch at the moment. Twenty twenty
five was a really good year, really high yields, and
we're underway with the twenty twenty six harvest, and certainly
in terms of fruit volumes, it's looking very very good again.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Early regions such as Gisbane are getting well through and
I know, I'm just waiting for the kiwi fruit gold
to turn up in the supermarkets. At the moment, I'm
eating the red and I must say I don't like
it as much as the gold. What about you.
Speaker 9 (17:42):
I like the gold more myself, but probably because gold
pays us better. Yeah, So where were we at in
the harvest? Red is basically done, so that's about five
million trays the context, the industry will do two hundred
and twenty million trays this year. Gold is about twenty
five million trays through, so a little bit more than
(18:04):
ten percent. But some areas are earlier than others, and
so for example, in Gisbone, our own personal origin capital's assets,
we would be eighty percent harvested and we'll be finished
in the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
How are you getting on getting that fruit from Gisbone
through to the packhouses and the Bay of Plenty through
the gorge.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
Look, well, I'm not driving the trucks, so when I
say that it's no problem, I'm a bit lucky that
it's not that it's not really my problem. I think
it's a bit slower. But look, end of the day,
there's been millions of trays coming off of Gisbone and
it's all getting into the pack house. So look at
all seems to be working. We're pretty lucky with the
(18:48):
supply chain in our industry. If you think about it,
your harvest and crops once a year from March through
to May in the case of sun Gold, and so
the whole supply chain goes from zero to a hundred
really really quickly. To give you an example, yesterday there
was about three and a half million trays of kiwifruit
tax by the industry. That's about fifty million dollars worth
(19:11):
of kiwi fruit, whereas a month ago, all of the
pack hourses were doing nothing. There was no fruit being harvested.
So it's it's pretty amazing how the industry can sort
of leap into action.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
What's the correlation between dairy farming and Kiwi fruit Because,
as I understand it, a lot of the shareholders in
your managed funds. You've got two managed funds up and
running a third one just about to launch. A lot
of your shareholders are dairy farmers. Now we all know
the dairy farmers are going to get a payout very
shortly with the capital repayment. Are you anticipating good interest
(19:42):
from the dairy farmers.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
Look, it's an interesting thing. So we have about two
hundred and sixty two hundred and seventy investors. Overwhelmingly that
would be skewed towards people with an agricultural background that
invest with us, So dairy farmers x, dairy cockies, people
that are in the sector more generally. And so what
our average investor looks like is putting two or three
(20:07):
hundred grand with us, and and it's a way for
them to get some diversification amongst the rest of their investments.
And so our standard investor looks looks like an next
dairy farmer or a current dairy farmer. They are people
that like the idea of owning high quality land land assets.
(20:28):
We're about to in the next week or so kick
off the rays for our third fund. And unscientifically. At least,
most of the inquiries I'm getting are from from people
that are connected, that are connected to the to the
dairy sector, and so I suspect we'll see people looking
to place some money with us following the Fonterra sail,
which is great. It's it's a it's a funny thing. Actually,
(20:51):
my family's in dairy and kimi fruit and it's it's
amazing how often if dairy is having a bad year,
kiwi fruit will have a good year, and vice versa.
There's some ways I can explain it. For example, if
we have a really bad drought in summer, that's not
very good for us as dairy farmers, but as que
fruit growers we love it. So yeah, it is interesting.
(21:12):
Often the two tend to complement each other quite well.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
And if you are in the primary sector, you understand
the risk of farming. Of farming was easy, everyone would
be doing it. I know a wee bit about your
capital funds. I'm an investor. I've got to declare an interest.
And while your returns have been excellent in recent years,
things like Cyclone Gabriel came along and gave it a
real whacking when I was an early investor, so you've
(21:36):
just got to be aware of that. And I think
that dairy farmers and farmers are they understand the ebbs
and flows of farming.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
Look, that's exactly right, KIU Fruit is having. This is
likely to be a third excellent year in a row,
and that comes off the back of a couple of
bad years. That's sort of the nature of the beat.
One of the reasons we set up our business the
way we do is that each fund owned seven to
ten orchards in a range of locations, and good orchard
(22:05):
or bad orchard, you will have varying performance a year
on here, particularly in horticulture where you are only growing
one crop, and so one of the things we really
try to do is to spread the risk so that
overall the portfolios it has a bit of diversification and location.
As much as we would like to think that when
we have a good year it's down to our management,
(22:26):
it is far more correct to say that if it's
a good season, we'll have a good year. You're at
the mercy of the weather and you can't control that.
But what you can do is spread your risk by
owning multiple orchards and so that's what that's why we've
set up our business the way we have dim.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
If any of the punters out there are interested in
getting into Origin Capital Partners fun number three, what.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
Do they do?
Speaker 9 (22:49):
Yeah, Look, if they want to learn more, go to
our website Origin Capital Partners dot co dot nz and
you can touch base with us there and one of
us will reach out in a range of time to
call or ben yet. We'd love to show people around
our orchards and show you what it's all about.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Good on your Dom Jones, Thanks for your time. May
the Key with fruit harvest continue on its mary way
three years in a row.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Will take that.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
See you later, Thank you, Jamie, Thank you Dom. It's
twenty five away from one year with the Country up.
Next Rural News and Sports News, then Brother and Sister
Farmer Paniel Panel, Emma Paul and Tim Dangeon Chris Brandolino.
She's getting a bit dry out there. What is our
Friday weather Man got to say about that gown? Welcome
(23:37):
back to the country. Twenty two away from one. Michelle
Watt speak of the devil very shortly with Rural News.
But you know what, on farm women wear a lot
of hats they're running the books, raising the kids, managing stocks,
supporting partners, often taking care of everyone except themselves. That's
why they're so good at multitasking. But that can really
(23:58):
take a toll on your men well being. In the
latest episode of Being Farm Strong, Michelle, who you're about
to hear from, sits down with Farm Strong champion Dianne Park.
She's got a great story to tell and they talk
about exactly that women's mental health on and around the farm.
They dig into why so many women just keep pushing through,
(24:21):
what that invisible load really looks like, and how taking
just a moment to pause and check in with yourself
can make a massive difference. They also get into the
differences between men and women night and day there and
how you can better support the partner, wife, mum or
friend in your life who might be carrying more than
(24:41):
you realize. It's honest, relatable, and a conversation every rural
family can benefit from. Listen now to episode episode two
of Being Farm Strong with Michelle and Dianne on the
Country podcasts on iHeart Speak of the Devil.
Speaker 10 (24:56):
Here she is the Country's rural news with cub It's
one thing to talk innovation another to back it up,
drive it we dare you visit steel Ford dot Coto
on NZ for your local star guest.
Speaker 11 (25:10):
Thanks Jamie and and Raw News. Jared and Bronwood Clote
have were named last night the Horizons Regional Supreme winners
at the Balance Farm Environment Awards. Of course, those regional
awards are going on all around the country at the moment,
with the finals being in July.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Jamie, you have sport.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Sport on the country with AFCO business.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Well done.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Act Brumby's prop James Slipper is poised to pass Crusaders
stalwart Wyatt Crockett as Super Rugby's most capped player tonight.
The retired Wallaby's front rower will take the field against
the Chiefs tonight in Canberra, but not before My Highland
has beat the Hurricanes and Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest
are into the quarterfinals of football second tier Europa League.
(25:54):
All Whites captain Chris Wood completed the warm up with
Forest as he continues to cover from injury. That is
your rural news and sports news. Up next the Farmer Panel,
the Dungeons.
Speaker 10 (26:12):
I'ms you you're.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Having this cheery. The Daddy Ball New BAGGINI it is
more too tall.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Paint Today's Farmer panel. Brother and sister both former Young
Farmers of the Year, Tim Danjon twenty twenty two, his
younger sister, Emma Paul twenty twenty three. You're both dairy farmers,
Emma and the whitecatoat.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Tim.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
You've gone down to Southland to seek gold, farming, gold
and God's own farming province ladies before gentlemen, and Emma
did send me some topics, so she's my favorite. Emma.
What do you make of the departure of Miles Hurral?
Are you worried as a Fonterra farmer shareholder?
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I'm going to be very sad to
see him go, Jamie. I think he it was associate
of Hens that we were operating listless miles there and
he said a good term and yeah, it'll be sad
to see him go. He made a good combo with
Peter McBride, I felt. And one thing I have noticed
about that clothes, I've never really heard any farmers say
anything bad about them, which you know, us farmers were
(27:12):
a complaining bunch sometimes, so to not be hearing anything
in the community must be a good thing. So I
think he will be sorely missed by a lot of
our farmers.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Yeah, I agree with you one hundred percent, even if
Winston doesn't, right he Oh, Tim dangin down in Southland.
You're worried that we might lose Peter McBride as well.
I think he's still got a year or two to
go in his term or tenure as the chairman of Fonterra.
He's a very safe set of hands.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yeah, good a, Jamie. He certainly is. He's up for
reelection mid next year, I believe so. I think it's
really important that he puts his name back in the
ring to give us that continuity going forward, isn't it.
But from my perspective, certainly very grateful to have had
Miles for as long as we have had. I think
he's done an amazing job of really turning things around
(27:59):
it at Fontia and off the leadership of Pete McBride
and the strategy that the board obviously wanted to implement.
I think Miles has executed that, which is a hard part.
Isn't it So sad to see him go? But you
can't keep the good ones forever, and it's pretty awesome
to see. I think just to have a new Zealander
in that top job, isn't it. It's a twenty five
billion dollar revenue business. I think it's amazing that we
(28:21):
can have, or we can develop and breed Kiwis that
are good enough to be able to run a business
of that size.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Yeah, I think we've learned our lesson on that one. Yeah,
I'm all for an internal appointment myself, but I'm not
running Fonterra. I'll go back to you, Emma and the
Whitecadow region. You guys are having a pretty good grass
growing season, are you not.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
It's been a bumper Jamie, and it's my father in
law always says that when you grow feed in one
part of the season, you're going to need it at
some point or another later on. So it's going to
be interesting to see what comes because we've probably head
close to record maize crops here. We've had nearly one
hundred hectares comeing off our farm and the yield's been
up around that sort of twenty three, twenty four, possibly
(29:03):
even twenty five ton mark per heatcare, which is just
incredible and makes it quite an economic feed for us
around here. I've heard rumors of other people hitting that
twenty nine to thirty ton, but I yet to see that.
But it's just an incredible growing year. So we've stockpiled
all that feed for winter because I think we're going
to need it at some point.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
When you're not being a dairy farmer, when you're not
being the former Young Farmer of the Year and a
mother of three young children, you're a vet as well.
What about facial xma. This is the season for it, yep.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
But there's a season for it, Jamie. And this is
always the time of year that I used to see
vetting that people would start to slacken off, especially in
the way Kedo area. The evenings are getting a bit
cooler and you think maybe that risk period has gone.
But I know that we've just done another round of
treatment on our farms. We spray a funger side to
stop that facial exmas spore from developing, and we think
(29:55):
that April can be one of the most dangerous months
around here. So could it be a waste of money
expray on Possibly if the knights get cold and the
facial exnor risk statues, But it's not really something that
i'd either want to take a risk on.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
I don't drink anywhere some dangon down on Southland coastal
Southland part and I know a wee bit about it
because I'm involved in a farming operation and a wetland
down there. Parts of Southland are looking for a bit
of rain. How are you.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
Fearing, Yeah, we're looking very good at Western Southland is
very good in general, Jamie. I know parts of northern
south and they're looking a little bit dry. But I
think all in all it's been a cracking season down
here as well, and I think the province is in
very good shape to be putting out some good cheap production,
which is what we want at the moment with on
farm cough only going north, aren't they. It's been a
(30:41):
cracking season down here and it's nicer in the Southland.
We don't have to worry about facial excent at all, Jamie, No, no.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
We don't. That's the further south you go, the less
diseases you get. You were at the Zanda McDonald Awards.
What did you make of those?
Speaker 7 (30:54):
He is fantastic. I managed to sneak away for a
day so my lovely wife took care of the kids
for a and managed to get off farm. So it
was awesome to get up there and just see a
very enthusiastic room of bright people. Jamie, it's quite an
intimidating place for me to go to try and fit in,
but it was awesome and a real highlight for me
was listening to Zion Armstrong who is a Kiwi boy
(31:16):
from West Auckland and he went on to lead Eddie
Dask North America, which is a six billion dollar revenue
business and yeah, coming from very humble beginnings but obviously yeah,
he had some very good values about him and he
always worked on the basis of putting quality people first
and if you do that then the results take care
of himself. So it was an inspiring discussion and a
(31:37):
good couple of days up there. It's a great event
in Shane mcmanaway and the team and always do a
fantastic job of putting it all together.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Shane mcmanaway's a legend. A quick final comment from the
pair of you back to you, Emma Paul about on
farm cost inflation. We know that since COVID it costs
twenty five percent more to run a farm. That's no
surprise to a farmer but then we're facing this fuel
crisis and it does look like it's going to be
a fuel crisis. This is going to get worse before
it gets better.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
It is, and it's yeah, it's a bit scary to
see me and because we're discussing it last night around
the kitchen table about what our plan will be. But
especially when you're a farming system like us that relies
very heavily on machinery that's sealed by those products, it
is a bit scary. And you know, we recently had
a pretty adverse weather event here in Prongire and Ouatra
(32:24):
Honger which put pressure on the system as well. So
we definitely need to be watching costs. But I guess
lucky that that big capital returns coming on what is it,
the fourteenth of April, Jamie, yep.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Well you're better afford to pay for diesel. You just
got to get your hands on it. Final word from you, Tim,
Have you got contingency plans if you can't get diesel
to run your farm?
Speaker 7 (32:43):
Yeah, it'll we trick if we can't get it at all.
But for the meantime, we'll filled all the tanks up
and got every container we can fill Jamie or farm
for storage, because unfortunately it is very inflationary, isn't it,
So just seeing for a lot of the prices so
jumped up about seven percent. So yeah, we'll be looking
pretty hard at our budgets for the coming season, and
(33:04):
we've locked down and just rates in because obviously with
a few being inflationary across across the wider economy, it's
only a matter of time, isn't it until those start.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
To go up.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
But we're quite fortunately these days. I think that there
are plenty of fixing methods that you're able to do
within your business to be able to hedge some riskers
in there. So we're looking quite harder at the moment
and just making sure we can set ourselves up to
have another successful season.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Tim, Danjon andmer Paul. Thanks for being the Farmer panel
today on the Country.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
Cheer Jamie, Cheers Jamie.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Thanks guys, it is nine away from one you are
with the Country. Happy sixtieth birthday to one on my panelists.
Hopefully get them on the show next week. Big stew
Low up there in Canterbury. Don't know where myte went
to your party on Sunday because I know West Otargo's
leading farmers making his way up there. Happy birthdays, Chew,
and also remissing me not to mention it's day two
(33:56):
of three of the Central District's field days, the last
of the regional the regional field days, I think before
we head to Mystery Creek in June, looking forward to that.
Up next from Earth Sciences, New Zealand, Chris Brandolino.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Is how the grass grows.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
He is my favorite weather man on the country on
a Friday. His name is Chris Brandon, I know from
Earth Sciences, New Zealand, an absolute favorite on a Friday.
I reckon, you're almost redundant at the moment, Chris, because
we're in a fine, calm, settled period. Whether man will
have nothing.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
To do, Oh, there's always something to do. Look, too
much of a good thing is a bad thing, you
know that, because we get we get too much sunshine
and saddled weather. Jamie, guess what we get dryness? And
right now I'm looking at some unusually dry soils across
the Tatanaki region, across the manawak To much at the
top of the South and Marlborough Bowler, also far north
(35:03):
portions of Northland, Waikato far eastern Bay of Plenty. So
it is dry, and that's because we've seen very little
rain over the past several days. But look, we mentioned
this before, Jamie. It's going to be your boom or
bust March and probably first half of autumn. And right
now we're in the bus category.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
So is it going to rain.
Speaker 6 (35:25):
It will rain, so unfortunately, and it could be one
of those scenarios I should say, where we get a
lot of rain and a short period of time again
the boom. So look, let's take you through the next
several days. Not a lot of rain over the coming days.
This weekend, I do think there's going to be any
rain this weekend. It'll be over the Cormandl Peninsula, perhaps
(35:46):
over the coastal Bay of Plenty, maybe over the ranges
towards the Bay of Plenty. So you guys there in
the coastal Bay of Plenty, in the Cormandle by say
early Monday, you could be looking at upwards of ten
to twenty five millimeters of rain. It will be local, however,
that about it.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Man.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
However, we have to look to the north. We've talked
about this before. Indications are that as we get into
say Monday and Tuesday of next week, there's gonna be
a low, perhaps even a tropical cyclone that forms across
the tropical waters northwest of New Caledonia, maybe toward the
Solomons and well to the north and northwest of New
(36:27):
Caledonia that is forecast to move South Jamie toward New
Zealand sometime later next week. How that behaves a lot
of uncertainty. There may be some interactions with a separate
weather system too. That muddy is the waters. But what
does it all mean from about the middle part of
next week, starting with the Upper North Island, we do
have to be mindful we could be looking at some
(36:48):
significant rain for the second half of next week for
the North Island, especially Upper North Island and maybe western
South Island. A lot of time to watch this, but
I do think there is certainly there's certainly reason to
keep rise on top of the forecast and that sort
of thing.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Jemmy, Okay, Chris Brandoleno, thanks for your time. Put your
feet up while you've got a good calm period, because
after the carm comes the storm. We hope you I
hope you got that weather forecrs wrong. Always good to
chat on a Friday though, thanks for your.
Speaker 9 (37:16):
Time any times.
Speaker 6 (37:17):
Jimmy, be good buddy.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Oh well, thank you, Chris, Chris Brandoleno wrapping the Country.
Just a final word from farm Strong. When you're busy,
taking time off can be a real challenge, but everyone
needs a little rest and recovery time to recharge the
battery so they can give their best on farm. So
make a little time this weekend to watch the Highlanders
beat the hurricanes and do something are you enjoy with
your family mates or neighbors. You'll come back to work
(37:41):
feeling fresher and more motivated to see what other farmers
do to stay farm strong. Head to farmstrong dot co
dot nzed. Someone asking where we're going to get all
the electricity from to run the electric cars and the evs. Well,
all I'm suggesting is we can put a few solar
panels something up. But we've just got to be a
(38:01):
wee bit more resilient in this country when it comes
to fuel and fertilize. They have a great weekend, go
the Highlanders. Catch you back on Monday.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Years it'll be catch.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
All the latest from the Land. It's the Country podcast
with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmland's delivering solutions for strong,
productive crops
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Farmlands delivering solutions for
strong productive crops.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I'm to you driving this chevally the daddy ball new bagging.
It is more roan, too tall paint for turner key
and it a crank. My first kid files and never
formed same one. I'm still pigging all. I've done a
boy selling of times got up. We'll to just good
(00:37):
and give it a you can sett'll make him like
that nor more.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
They don't make him like that no more. Riley Green
going Country on the Country. Kicking off the show today,
Wayne Langford, president of Federated Farmer's recent birthday boy, making
an announcement today about his political future. Mike Casey was
recognized last night the Electric Chair Grower. He's a good
mate of Wayne Langford's as well at the New Zealander
(01:03):
of the Year Awards. We're going to catch up with him.
Dom Jones, MD of Origin Capital Partners, Kiwi Fruit Growing
Managed Fund. The prospect the very real prospect of three
really good years in a row for the Kiwi fruit industry.
Today's Farmer Panel Emma Paul, Tim Dangin brother and sister
former Young Farmers of the Year and weather man Chris Brandolina.
(01:25):
She's pretty settled around the country. In fact, it's getting
a bit dry in many places, but there is a
change coming.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Right.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Let's welcome on to the country the President of Federated Farmers,
Wayne Yolo. You only live once Langford And did I
get it wrong about you standing in West Coast tasman
for the Labor Party or the National Party or New
Zealand First for that matter, Wayne, Good, afternoon.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
Afternoon, Jamie. Well, you know you went from you went
wrong from the point of view that I certainly got
approached man so which which was a huge honor and
to be you know, I'm pretty humble that ill that
was asked. But at the same time, yeah, it's just
not for me right now. My future is as it
FEDS and as as I mentioned to you, I want
to keep the job gun that we're doing it FEDS
(02:10):
and and so that's that's where we stands. I can
confirm I won't be running for the for the bee.
I've come over him.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Wayne, your time will come. Are we going to leave?
I'm flying a kite here, but are we going to
leave West Coast Tasman to another former president of Federated Farmers.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, I don't know if it's official yet, but you've
seen it on your show, so it must be. Although
you do you do have a habit of spreading malicious rumors.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
No, no, not malicious rumors. Well, look I was sort
of right, Chippy had approached.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
You, right, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
We had a discussions. Yeah, and so you know, and
you know, you get that a lot in this world.
So so that's that's all fine. Okay, Well yeah, but
we we are hearing that kadim So potentially running on
the West Coast, right, So so that's that's very good.
And you know, a good good feeds old girl. So
still you'll go well, and.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I should be a great local MP for West Coast Tasman. Looks.
It's good that you've decided to stay on for another year.
Did you get quite a bit of pressure to do
that considering at your last election around your meeting, you
did lose some of the senior management if you want,
or senior senior position holders and Federated Farmers. Have you
(03:25):
got an anointed successor?
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Yeah, and I guess you're talking about probably Richard Mackintydrea
to here, Toby Williams me and wheelchair here. We had
a few changeovers. We've obviously had the changeover with the
with our CEO. We're brought and brought in Mike Simons
there and Terry left us after seven years. So my
council now the way it works at Feathers that I
need permission to be able to stand for election, and
so my National Council gave me that permission in November. However,
(03:52):
I still do need to run on an election and
we're not sure yet who's whether others are putting their
name forward or whether whether it's just me. But I
am declaring that I will be running again, so that's good.
But yeah, it feeds. You're up for election every year,
and that's one of the best things about being fed
prison is that you're held accountable by your members every year.
(04:15):
You know, you don't get a three year term and
get to you know, get to go soft for two years.
They hold you to account every year and that's what
it's all about.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
As Toby Williams found out, right, I'm glad you're staying
for another year because you've done an excellent job and
not peeing in your pocket here, stability.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Don't speak too certain the National Council for you to
decide that, not me.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
And yeah, okay, I know you and Mike Casey, you're
good mates. We're going to have him on the show shortly,
the electric Cheery grower. What a great advocate he is
for electrifying New Zealand, and I guess Trump's doing a
good job promoting that the need to maybe look for
alternative energy sources.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
Yeah, one an absolute legendarily a guy that's put his
hard and soul onto that. And he's also you know,
he's an orchidus, but i'd call him a passionate farmer.
He's a member of Federated Farmers and he was he
was very quick to sign up. He saw what we
do and he got amongst it. But what he's done there,
and particularly what he's doing for agriculture, so really hammering
home that ability for small scale on farm generation and
(05:15):
the incentives that possibilities that could be offered for farmers
that are wanting to do it. You know, he will
get a lot of wins over the line for farmers
across the country. Even though you know he's an electric courtchard.
Just down there in Cromwell, you will be pleased.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
And you were front and center with the announcement with
Todd maclay about the Rural Mental Health Fund announcement. I know,
I know providers like old mild Mate, Wiggy Craig, Wiggy Wiggins,
lean on the gate, talk to a mate, they're very
excited about this.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Yeah, and you'd know from from speaking with Wiggy that
you know he was he was doing what he was
doing off the smell of min oily rag, you know,
and and just just trying to get it done really
for the for the sake of you know, the rural
sector and those that are those that are batling at
times and so to be able to chuck some support
him behind what he's doing and some of the others
there the likes of surfing for farmers and some work
(06:08):
that young farmers are doing and others. That's that's what
the fund was all about, was saying, hey, there's a
lot of projects going on. There's a lot of people
that come asking for funding, but how can we make
sure these core ones that we do are strong and
un well locked after and that farmers can get this
border and when they need it.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, and let's not forget our friends at farm Strong
who are doing an absolutely fantastic job.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Can I tell you someone else we shouldn't forget him,
So as Minister McLay and Minister do to beget an
under line. But Minister McLay was instrumental in getting it
over the line. He said when he looked at it,
when I touched it to him, he said, this is
this is a no brainer. Let's get this done and
let's you know, this is not one that needs to
sit on the tables for years. So congratulations to him
(06:54):
on that one too.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Yeah, he's done a good job. He's been very good
as Minister of Agriculture. And try it. I'll give him that,
just fine. Lead Pins. That's the primary industry summit of
New Zealand. It's it's probably the most prestigious farming conference
of the year. Can I say that you like way?
And I can probably say it to you because it's
sort of your conference.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Well, i'd like to think so. And it's a unique
conference because you know, we're not talking about the necessarily
the on farm stuff. We're talking about more sector wide
industry issues and it's certainly won a lot of people
being too. So that's that's fantastic. It's it's it's getting
better and better every year, which is which is great.
And ultimately tell you now this year, adding a couple
of new sections to the award section, which happens midway
(07:37):
through the conference as well, should be should be a
good knight.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah. Nominations closed for those primary industry awards on the
first of April, and I think you've got a Rural
Woman of the Year and the Rural Communicator of the Year.
I'm hearing Andy Thompson's nominated himself. I just I don't
know if I could be in the room if Thompson
won that.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
That's right, that yeah, great, great to What it was
all about was we've got a lot of awards and
stuff they're going around the country, and how can we
bring some of them in together. And so the journalist awards,
you know, they happen at another time, let's bring them in.
A rural woman, let's work with a royal women. They
need a bit of a pump up right now, so
(08:17):
let's get that supported. And yeah, let's turn these awards
in to a big night and a big night for
the sector.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Good stuff. Looking forward to it. Hey, Wayne, Langford. I'm
really pleased to hear, while I'm disappointed I didn't pick
it exactly right on West Coast Tasman close though, I'm
very close. Will await Katie Melons announcement or if there
is going to be one, And I'm glad to see
you're still at the helm of Federated Farmers, hopefully for
another year. Well done, Jammy, there we go. He has
(08:44):
done a very good job. He's a very good front
man for New Zealand agriculture. Wayne Langford, President of Federated Farmers.
Right up next one of us good mates, Federated Farmers
member Mike Casey, the electric cherry grower, the chief executive
of Rewiring at Rowers, very passionate about alternate energy sources
(09:07):
and I think Trump's doing him a big favor at
the moment in his crusade. Mike Casey up next. Before
the end of the hour, Dom Jones talking Kiwi Fruit
Farmer Panel, Emma Paul and Tim Dangean, Chris Brandolino on
the weather, give.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Me full ocsis tracting rule, Bruce and Whisky. Rid's in
a dirt hard works dive, Santa Fence rule. We stand
for the flag, if.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
His name is Mike Casey here is the electric cherry farmer.
He is the chief executive of Rewiring at Rower. He
is the New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year. Of course,
New Zealander of the Year was named. Should I say
last night, Sir Rod Drury, but you've really made it,
Mike Casey. I'm humbled to have you on my show.
(09:57):
Not only all those accolades, but you're also a personal
friend of Mike Hosking the Hosk How did you do
all that?
Speaker 7 (10:05):
Well?
Speaker 8 (10:06):
Thank you very much, David. I must really appreciate the
fact that you. I'm always welcome on your show. We've
had a number of making chats over the years.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
How have I done it?
Speaker 8 (10:15):
It's it's it's as much of a puzzle to you
as it is to me. I just haven't shut up
about what I what I my vision for farming, vision
for the country, I guess over the last few years
and somehow it's all it's all coming up Trump's at
the moment, which is which is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Well kiw we Banker New Zealander of the Year, as
we said, Sir Rod A. Drury of Queenstown. Of course,
of zero fame. He's it must be wonderful even to
be mentioned in the same breath as him.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
I mean, I've been a personal friend of Rod for
a few years now, ever since he moved to Queenstown.
Came out very early with hang on, hang on, hang on.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
A personal friend of Sarad and a personal friend of
the Hosk do your personal friendships. Well, I'm flattered honored
that I be mentioned in the same breath you do.
Move and rarefied air Mike Casey.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
I pinched myself every day that I get to talk
to so established New Zealanders like Sir Jamie and the
Hosk and Rodgery. But it's you know, it's just it
just comes from the journey of electrifying the farm and
then really trying to help other farmers. So I think
the one big thing in all of this is I
just want to thank the primary sector of New Zealand
(11:26):
for taking me in. I was a tech broke from
me that had no idea how to grow cherries, and
the cherry farmers of Cromwell came together and helped me
figure out how to do that. And I'm just contributing
as much as I can back to the primary sector,
and yeah, never forget my roots. And also it's chaps
like you that make sure they don't go too woke.
And I think that's what's ultimately made my message so effective,
(11:48):
is it's all about smart business lowering farm and pop costs.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
So yeah, just Mike, do you realize the irony that
Donald Trump is doing you a huge favor at the moment?
Didn't you crusade to electrify New Zealand because he alone
seems to be renewing the interest in evs.
Speaker 8 (12:08):
I'm a bit worried about our fuel security at the moment.
I mean, the thing is is we can talk about
electric machines in terms of cars and maybe horticulture tractors,
but so much of New Zealand's economy runs on liquid
fuels that we import from overseas, and that's just really
out of our controls. So my big thing moment is, yeah,
all the machines that we could electrify, whether it's the
(12:29):
city people's vehicles maybe, whether it's some of our own
vehicles and rural New Zealands. The more we electrify, the
more liquid fuels we have available for the machines that
truly need to keep our economy going, and that's our
trucks and our tractors and our harvesters and our boats
and our planes. So very very worried about what might
be potentially coming up in the next month or so.
(12:50):
And I think this is where we need to band
together and I'll certainly be making sure my evs are
available to those community services, those vital community services, and
Cromwell really do start to get into a fuel crunch.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
We need to build some resilience in this country, not
only around fertilizer, but also around fuel. And you think
of solar panels charging electric vehicles and whether they're are
plug ins or hybrids or straight out electric vehicles. Might
that has to be the future so we can stand
alone and maybe be self sufficient and energy because we're
so far off it at the moment.
Speaker 8 (13:24):
One hundred and seventy thousand cars electrified will buy us
about another day's worth of fuel. Stories we've got all
million cars in New Zealand, I think four point one
million cars, So you get the idea about how far
we could go electrifying machines that don't need these liquid
fuels anymore, so that we can that we have the
fuel for the machine that ultimately do And this is
(13:46):
just as technology producers like, as I say to farmers
all the time, right tool for the job is so important.
The last thing I want you to do is stop
farming or find it hard to farm. So it's what
are those machines on farm or what are those machines
that your relatives might have in the sea that we
can look at electrifying first to start running on New
Zealan made energy. And I think that's ultimately the message
(14:08):
that brought us all together. If you're you know, if
you're a climate advocate, to you know, a farmer in
New Zealand, the whole thing around New Zealand made energy
just makes sense to everyone. So that's what I guess
I get super excited about.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Okay, good on you for your crusade to electrify New Zealand.
Just finally, and I've got like thirty seconds Mike Casey,
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year. How's the cherry
season washed up for you?
Speaker 8 (14:34):
So it was a pretty rough season and all Orty like,
it was a cold summer, which meant our cheres took
a lot longer to ripen. And on top of that,
we just had sort of almost like just just like
clock work, these twenty mil to thirty mil rain events
which are caused a lot of damage to cherries. So
you know, we're quite down this year, but that's in
a way farming. We made enough to pay you know,
(14:57):
pay back the loans a little bit of we pay
the interest, but not really take too much in the
way I step forwards. And definitely not a return on
investment from the capital this year that was into our
cherry orchard. But you live to fight another day, and
I think that's really important, you know, as I'm only
a few years into farming myself, but learning that is
super important because ultimately, you know, all farmers at different
(15:18):
times go through these kinds of bad seasons and we
all need to be there to support each other. Yeah,
I'm hoping for a much better season next year.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Good on your Micah, farming was easy. Everyone would be
doing a congratulations on being named the New Zealand Sustainability
Leader of the Year. Always good to catch up mate, cheers.
Speaker 8 (15:35):
It's always good. Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Pleasure was all mine. Mike Casey here is a champion
for his cause. Right from the text machine. Remember yesterday
we were looking for a job and the one or
two region for a vet student, Young Ted Menzi's son
of Greg who's the marketing manager at Emerson's. They'll be
(15:58):
busy tonight ahead of the Hurricanes Highlanders game at Forsyth
bar Stadium.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
So where is it?
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Where's my tear? Or just listening to yesterday's show, how
did young Ted get on getting a job? Simon from
South Tarahaki Simon, thanks for listening, really appreciate it. We
got teed a job and Michelle's in the process now
of responding and we had I think four or five
or six offers. So look, thank you so much for
(16:27):
everyone who offered an opportunity to a very bright young
man studying veterinary science at Messi University. Up next, Tom Jones,
another bright blog talking Kiwi Fruit.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
DOM.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Jones is at Keiwi Fruit Correspondent based out of the
Bay of Plenty, where else He's the managing director of
Origin Capital Partners, Kiwi Fruit Growing Managed Fund and DOM.
As it stands at the moment, there's a lot of
an interest in your industry, namely because the Kiwi fruit
industry is going great guns him.
Speaker 9 (17:07):
Thanks having me on. Yeah, look, Kiwi fruits in a
bit of a purple patch at the moment. Twenty twenty
five was a really good year, really high yields, and
we're underway with the twenty twenty six harvest, and certainly
in terms of fruit volumes, it's looking very very good again.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Early regions such as Gisbane are getting well through and
I know, I'm just waiting for the kiwi fruit gold
to turn up in the supermarkets. At the moment, I'm
eating the red and I must say I don't like
it as much as the gold. What about you.
Speaker 9 (17:42):
I like the gold more myself, but probably because gold
pays us better. Yeah, So where were we at in
the harvest? Red is basically done, so that's about five
million trays the context, the industry will do two hundred
and twenty million trays this year. Gold is about twenty
five million trays through, so a little bit more than
(18:04):
ten percent. But some areas are earlier than others, and
so for example, in Gisbone, our own personal origin capital's assets,
we would be eighty percent harvested and we'll be finished
in the next couple of days.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
How are you getting on getting that fruit from Gisbone
through to the packhouses and the Bay of Plenty through
the gorge.
Speaker 9 (18:25):
Look, well, I'm not driving the trucks, so when I
say that it's no problem, I'm a bit lucky that
it's not that it's not really my problem. I think
it's a bit slower. But look, end of the day,
there's been millions of trays coming off of Gisbone and
it's all getting into the pack house. So look at
all seems to be working. We're pretty lucky with the
(18:48):
supply chain in our industry. If you think about it,
your harvest and crops once a year from March through
to May in the case of sun Gold, and so
the whole supply chain goes from zero to a hundred
really really quickly. To give you an example, yesterday there
was about three and a half million trays of kiwifruit
tax by the industry. That's about fifty million dollars worth
(19:11):
of kiwi fruit, whereas a month ago, all of the
pack hourses were doing nothing. There was no fruit being harvested.
So it's it's pretty amazing how the industry can sort
of leap into action.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
What's the correlation between dairy farming and Kiwi fruit Because,
as I understand it, a lot of the shareholders in
your managed funds. You've got two managed funds up and
running a third one just about to launch. A lot
of your shareholders are dairy farmers. Now we all know
the dairy farmers are going to get a payout very
shortly with the capital repayment. Are you anticipating good interest
(19:42):
from the dairy farmers.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
Look, it's an interesting thing. So we have about two
hundred and sixty two hundred and seventy investors. Overwhelmingly that
would be skewed towards people with an agricultural background that
invest with us, So dairy farmers x, dairy cockies, people
that are in the sector more generally. And so what
our average investor looks like is putting two or three
(20:07):
hundred grand with us, and and it's a way for
them to get some diversification amongst the rest of their investments.
And so our standard investor looks looks like an next
dairy farmer or a current dairy farmer. They are people
that like the idea of owning high quality land land assets.
(20:28):
We're about to in the next week or so kick
off the rays for our third fund. And unscientifically. At least,
most of the inquiries I'm getting are from from people
that are connected, that are connected to the to the
dairy sector, and so I suspect we'll see people looking
to place some money with us following the Fonterra sail,
which is great. It's it's a it's a funny thing. Actually,
(20:51):
my family's in dairy and kimi fruit and it's it's
amazing how often if dairy is having a bad year,
kiwi fruit will have a good year, and vice versa.
There's some ways I can explain it. For example, if
we have a really bad drought in summer, that's not
very good for us as dairy farmers, but as que
fruit growers we love it. So yeah, it is interesting.
(21:12):
Often the two tend to complement each other quite well.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
And if you are in the primary sector, you understand
the risk of farming. Of farming was easy, everyone would
be doing it. I know a wee bit about your
capital funds. I'm an investor. I've got to declare an interest.
And while your returns have been excellent in recent years,
things like Cyclone Gabriel came along and gave it a
real whacking when I was an early investor, so you've
(21:36):
just got to be aware of that. And I think
that dairy farmers and farmers are they understand the ebbs
and flows of farming.
Speaker 9 (21:42):
Look, that's exactly right, KIU Fruit is having. This is
likely to be a third excellent year in a row,
and that comes off the back of a couple of
bad years. That's sort of the nature of the beat.
One of the reasons we set up our business the
way we do is that each fund owned seven to
ten orchards in a range of locations, and good orchard
(22:05):
or bad orchard, you will have varying performance a year
on here, particularly in horticulture where you are only growing
one crop, and so one of the things we really
try to do is to spread the risk so that
overall the portfolios it has a bit of diversification and location.
As much as we would like to think that when
we have a good year it's down to our management,
(22:26):
it is far more correct to say that if it's
a good season, we'll have a good year. You're at
the mercy of the weather and you can't control that.
But what you can do is spread your risk by
owning multiple orchards and so that's what that's why we've
set up our business the way we have dim.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
If any of the punters out there are interested in
getting into Origin Capital Partners fun number three, what.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
Do they do?
Speaker 9 (22:49):
Yeah, Look, if they want to learn more, go to
our website Origin Capital Partners dot co dot nz and
you can touch base with us there and one of
us will reach out in a range of time to
call or ben yet. We'd love to show people around
our orchards and show you what it's all about.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Good on your Dom Jones, Thanks for your time. May
the Key with fruit harvest continue on its mary way
three years in a row.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Will take that.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
See you later, Thank you, Jamie, Thank you Dom. It's
twenty five away from one year with the Country up.
Next Rural News and Sports News, then Brother and Sister
Farmer Paniel Panel, Emma Paul and Tim Dangeon Chris Brandolino.
She's getting a bit dry out there. What is our
Friday weather Man got to say about that gown? Welcome
(23:37):
back to the country. Twenty two away from one. Michelle
Watt speak of the devil very shortly with Rural News.
But you know what, on farm women wear a lot
of hats they're running the books, raising the kids, managing stocks,
supporting partners, often taking care of everyone except themselves. That's
why they're so good at multitasking. But that can really
(23:58):
take a toll on your men well being. In the
latest episode of Being Farm Strong, Michelle, who you're about
to hear from, sits down with Farm Strong champion Dianne Park.
She's got a great story to tell and they talk
about exactly that women's mental health on and around the farm.
They dig into why so many women just keep pushing through,
(24:21):
what that invisible load really looks like, and how taking
just a moment to pause and check in with yourself
can make a massive difference. They also get into the
differences between men and women night and day there and
how you can better support the partner, wife, mum or
friend in your life who might be carrying more than
(24:41):
you realize. It's honest, relatable, and a conversation every rural
family can benefit from. Listen now to episode episode two
of Being Farm Strong with Michelle and Dianne on the
Country podcasts on iHeart Speak of the Devil.
Speaker 10 (24:56):
Here she is the Country's rural news with cub It's
one thing to talk innovation another to back it up,
drive it we dare you visit steel Ford dot Coto
on NZ for your local star guest.
Speaker 11 (25:10):
Thanks Jamie and and Raw News. Jared and Bronwood Clote
have were named last night the Horizons Regional Supreme winners
at the Balance Farm Environment Awards. Of course, those regional
awards are going on all around the country at the moment,
with the finals being in July.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Jamie, you have sport.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Sport on the country with AFCO business.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Well done.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Act Brumby's prop James Slipper is poised to pass Crusaders
stalwart Wyatt Crockett as Super Rugby's most capped player tonight.
The retired Wallaby's front rower will take the field against
the Chiefs tonight in Canberra, but not before My Highland
has beat the Hurricanes and Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest
are into the quarterfinals of football second tier Europa League.
(25:54):
All Whites captain Chris Wood completed the warm up with
Forest as he continues to cover from injury. That is
your rural news and sports news. Up next the Farmer Panel,
the Dungeons.
Speaker 10 (26:12):
I'ms you you're.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Having this cheery. The Daddy Ball New BAGGINI it is
more too tall.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Paint Today's Farmer panel. Brother and sister both former Young
Farmers of the Year, Tim Danjon twenty twenty two, his
younger sister, Emma Paul twenty twenty three. You're both dairy farmers,
Emma and the whitecatoat.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Tim.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
You've gone down to Southland to seek gold, farming, gold
and God's own farming province ladies before gentlemen, and Emma
did send me some topics, so she's my favorite. Emma.
What do you make of the departure of Miles Hurral?
Are you worried as a Fonterra farmer shareholder?
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I'm going to be very sad to
see him go, Jamie. I think he it was associate
of Hens that we were operating listless miles there and
he said a good term and yeah, it'll be sad
to see him go. He made a good combo with
Peter McBride, I felt. And one thing I have noticed
about that clothes, I've never really heard any farmers say
anything bad about them, which you know, us farmers were
(27:12):
a complaining bunch sometimes, so to not be hearing anything
in the community must be a good thing. So I
think he will be sorely missed by a lot of
our farmers.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Yeah, I agree with you one hundred percent, even if
Winston doesn't, right he Oh, Tim dangin down in Southland.
You're worried that we might lose Peter McBride as well.
I think he's still got a year or two to
go in his term or tenure as the chairman of Fonterra.
He's a very safe set of hands.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yeah, good a, Jamie. He certainly is. He's up for
reelection mid next year, I believe so. I think it's
really important that he puts his name back in the
ring to give us that continuity going forward, isn't it.
But from my perspective, certainly very grateful to have had
Miles for as long as we have had. I think
he's done an amazing job of really turning things around
(27:59):
it at Fontia and off the leadership of Pete McBride
and the strategy that the board obviously wanted to implement.
I think Miles has executed that, which is a hard part.
Isn't it So sad to see him go? But you
can't keep the good ones forever, and it's pretty awesome
to see. I think just to have a new Zealander
in that top job, isn't it. It's a twenty five
billion dollar revenue business. I think it's amazing that we
(28:21):
can have, or we can develop and breed Kiwis that
are good enough to be able to run a business
of that size.
Speaker 3 (28:28):
Yeah, I think we've learned our lesson on that one. Yeah,
I'm all for an internal appointment myself, but I'm not
running Fonterra. I'll go back to you, Emma and the
Whitecadow region. You guys are having a pretty good grass
growing season, are you not.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
It's been a bumper Jamie, and it's my father in
law always says that when you grow feed in one
part of the season, you're going to need it at
some point or another later on. So it's going to
be interesting to see what comes because we've probably head
close to record maize crops here. We've had nearly one
hundred hectares comeing off our farm and the yield's been
up around that sort of twenty three, twenty four, possibly
(29:03):
even twenty five ton mark per heatcare, which is just
incredible and makes it quite an economic feed for us
around here. I've heard rumors of other people hitting that
twenty nine to thirty ton, but I yet to see that.
But it's just an incredible growing year. So we've stockpiled
all that feed for winter because I think we're going
to need it at some point.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
When you're not being a dairy farmer, when you're not
being the former Young Farmer of the Year and a
mother of three young children, you're a vet as well.
What about facial xma. This is the season for it, yep.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
But there's a season for it, Jamie. And this is
always the time of year that I used to see
vetting that people would start to slacken off, especially in
the way Kedo area. The evenings are getting a bit
cooler and you think maybe that risk period has gone.
But I know that we've just done another round of
treatment on our farms. We spray a funger side to
stop that facial exmas spore from developing, and we think
(29:55):
that April can be one of the most dangerous months
around here. So could it be a waste of money
expray on Possibly if the knights get cold and the
facial exnor risk statues, But it's not really something that
i'd either want to take a risk on.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
I don't drink anywhere some dangon down on Southland coastal
Southland part and I know a wee bit about it
because I'm involved in a farming operation and a wetland
down there. Parts of Southland are looking for a bit
of rain. How are you.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
Fearing, Yeah, we're looking very good at Western Southland is
very good in general, Jamie. I know parts of northern
south and they're looking a little bit dry. But I
think all in all it's been a cracking season down
here as well, and I think the province is in
very good shape to be putting out some good cheap production,
which is what we want at the moment with on
farm cough only going north, aren't they. It's been a
(30:41):
cracking season down here and it's nicer in the Southland.
We don't have to worry about facial excent at all, Jamie, No, no.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
We don't. That's the further south you go, the less
diseases you get. You were at the Zanda McDonald Awards.
What did you make of those?
Speaker 7 (30:54):
He is fantastic. I managed to sneak away for a
day so my lovely wife took care of the kids
for a and managed to get off farm. So it
was awesome to get up there and just see a
very enthusiastic room of bright people. Jamie, it's quite an
intimidating place for me to go to try and fit in,
but it was awesome and a real highlight for me
was listening to Zion Armstrong who is a Kiwi boy
(31:16):
from West Auckland and he went on to lead Eddie
Dask North America, which is a six billion dollar revenue
business and yeah, coming from very humble beginnings but obviously yeah,
he had some very good values about him and he
always worked on the basis of putting quality people first
and if you do that then the results take care
of himself. So it was an inspiring discussion and a
(31:37):
good couple of days up there. It's a great event
in Shane mcmanaway and the team and always do a
fantastic job of putting it all together.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Shane mcmanaway's a legend. A quick final comment from the
pair of you back to you, Emma Paul about on
farm cost inflation. We know that since COVID it costs
twenty five percent more to run a farm. That's no
surprise to a farmer but then we're facing this fuel
crisis and it does look like it's going to be
a fuel crisis. This is going to get worse before
it gets better.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
It is, and it's yeah, it's a bit scary to
see me and because we're discussing it last night around
the kitchen table about what our plan will be. But
especially when you're a farming system like us that relies
very heavily on machinery that's sealed by those products, it
is a bit scary. And you know, we recently had
a pretty adverse weather event here in Prongire and Ouatra
(32:24):
Honger which put pressure on the system as well. So
we definitely need to be watching costs. But I guess
lucky that that big capital returns coming on what is it,
the fourteenth of April, Jamie, yep.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Well you're better afford to pay for diesel. You just
got to get your hands on it. Final word from you, Tim,
Have you got contingency plans if you can't get diesel
to run your farm?
Speaker 7 (32:43):
Yeah, it'll we trick if we can't get it at all.
But for the meantime, we'll filled all the tanks up
and got every container we can fill Jamie or farm
for storage, because unfortunately it is very inflationary, isn't it,
So just seeing for a lot of the prices so
jumped up about seven percent. So yeah, we'll be looking
pretty hard at our budgets for the coming season, and
(33:04):
we've locked down and just rates in because obviously with
a few being inflationary across across the wider economy, it's
only a matter of time, isn't it until those start.
Speaker 4 (33:12):
To go up.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
But we're quite fortunately these days. I think that there
are plenty of fixing methods that you're able to do
within your business to be able to hedge some riskers
in there. So we're looking quite harder at the moment
and just making sure we can set ourselves up to
have another successful season.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Tim, Danjon andmer Paul. Thanks for being the Farmer panel
today on the Country.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
Cheer Jamie, Cheers Jamie.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Thanks guys, it is nine away from one you are
with the Country. Happy sixtieth birthday to one on my panelists.
Hopefully get them on the show next week. Big stew
Low up there in Canterbury. Don't know where myte went
to your party on Sunday because I know West Otargo's
leading farmers making his way up there. Happy birthdays, Chew,
and also remissing me not to mention it's day two
(33:56):
of three of the Central District's field days, the last
of the regional the regional field days, I think before
we head to Mystery Creek in June, looking forward to that.
Up next from Earth Sciences, New Zealand, Chris Brandolino.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Is how the grass grows.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
He is my favorite weather man on the country on
a Friday. His name is Chris Brandon, I know from
Earth Sciences, New Zealand, an absolute favorite on a Friday.
I reckon, you're almost redundant at the moment, Chris, because
we're in a fine, calm, settled period. Whether man will
have nothing.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
To do, Oh, there's always something to do. Look, too
much of a good thing is a bad thing, you
know that, because we get we get too much sunshine
and saddled weather. Jamie, guess what we get dryness? And
right now I'm looking at some unusually dry soils across
the Tatanaki region, across the manawak To much at the
top of the South and Marlborough Bowler, also far north
(35:03):
portions of Northland, Waikato far eastern Bay of Plenty. So
it is dry, and that's because we've seen very little
rain over the past several days. But look, we mentioned
this before, Jamie. It's going to be your boom or
bust March and probably first half of autumn. And right
now we're in the bus category.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
So is it going to rain.
Speaker 6 (35:25):
It will rain, so unfortunately, and it could be one
of those scenarios I should say, where we get a
lot of rain and a short period of time again
the boom. So look, let's take you through the next
several days. Not a lot of rain over the coming days.
This weekend, I do think there's going to be any
rain this weekend. It'll be over the Cormandl Peninsula, perhaps
(35:46):
over the coastal Bay of Plenty, maybe over the ranges
towards the Bay of Plenty. So you guys there in
the coastal Bay of Plenty, in the Cormandle by say
early Monday, you could be looking at upwards of ten
to twenty five millimeters of rain. It will be local, however,
that about it.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Man.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
However, we have to look to the north. We've talked
about this before. Indications are that as we get into
say Monday and Tuesday of next week, there's gonna be
a low, perhaps even a tropical cyclone that forms across
the tropical waters northwest of New Caledonia, maybe toward the
Solomons and well to the north and northwest of New
(36:27):
Caledonia that is forecast to move South Jamie toward New
Zealand sometime later next week. How that behaves a lot
of uncertainty. There may be some interactions with a separate
weather system too. That muddy is the waters. But what
does it all mean from about the middle part of
next week, starting with the Upper North Island, we do
have to be mindful we could be looking at some
(36:48):
significant rain for the second half of next week for
the North Island, especially Upper North Island and maybe western
South Island. A lot of time to watch this, but
I do think there is certainly there's certainly reason to
keep rise on top of the forecast and that sort
of thing.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Jemmy, Okay, Chris Brandoleno, thanks for your time. Put your
feet up while you've got a good calm period, because
after the carm comes the storm. We hope you I
hope you got that weather forecrs wrong. Always good to
chat on a Friday though, thanks for your.
Speaker 9 (37:16):
Time any times.
Speaker 6 (37:17):
Jimmy, be good buddy.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Oh well, thank you, Chris, Chris Brandoleno wrapping the Country.
Just a final word from farm Strong. When you're busy,
taking time off can be a real challenge, but everyone
needs a little rest and recovery time to recharge the
battery so they can give their best on farm. So
make a little time this weekend to watch the Highlanders
beat the hurricanes and do something are you enjoy with
your family mates or neighbors. You'll come back to work
(37:41):
feeling fresher and more motivated to see what other farmers
do to stay farm strong. Head to farmstrong dot co
dot nzed. Someone asking where we're going to get all
the electricity from to run the electric cars and the evs. Well,
all I'm suggesting is we can put a few solar
panels something up. But we've just got to be a
(38:01):
wee bit more resilient in this country when it comes
to fuel and fertilize. They have a great weekend, go
the Highlanders. Catch you back on Monday.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Years it'll be catch.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
All the latest from the Land. It's the Country podcast
with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmland's delivering solutions for strong,
productive crops
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