October 24, 2025 • 42 mins
Andy Muir talks to Ben Dooley, Nick Bewley, Jeff Grant, Grant McMaster and Don Morrison.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Last night, how the Strangers a very good morning and
welcome along to the best of the muster a collaboration
of interviews. It took our attention during a rather busy
week here at Hokanui HQ. My name's Andy Buher. Were
starting off yell with Ben Durley. Now Ben was on
Monday before the Alliance announcement with Dawn Meets was ratified
(00:26):
and went through, which was Tuesday morning coincidentally, but Ben
was telling us why he thought this process had to
get the green tack. And we continue this theme by
catching up with Jeff Grant on the show as well,
and Jeff was on the other side of it thinking
well it's gone through, but is it the best long
term solution. Nick Newley was on the program as well,
(00:47):
talking all things sport a Tago against Kennerbury in the
final of the MPC and just reflecting on the NPC
as well, what it's how it's been this year and
has been a doozy if we're perfectly honest. Grant as
usked McMaster farms of lab lap In Station and he's
having real issues with weather as a lot of the
country is at the moment, but particularly with rainfall numbers
(01:07):
and just trying to get grass growth and up there
at the basin there the whole country where they're in
the middle of landing at the moment, Grant says, where
is the sunshine? And Howie Morrison Don Morrison, Willowbank farmer
and a Lionce board director. He wraps up the hour
talking about what it means from his perspective with his
vote going through, and also where the media, in his opinion,
(01:29):
needs to be had accountable. So we're starting the hour
now with Ben Dooley. You're listening to the best of
the muster. Drag me on, Ben Dewey, Farm's just out
of wind and sheep beef and YouTube farmer deals. Good afternoon,
Good Andy.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Here's a gown, not.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Bad, but as a look outside, it's just a tad wet.
I'd imagine the situations to say that your place.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
She's pretty miserable there at the moment. And to be
fair of the forecast for the next nine or ten
days does not look much better or was worse for
some of them. But we're reasonably I wouldn't say we're
up to date, but we're reasonably. Yeah, we've got a
few bit of stuff done the last few weeks. So
weather's gonna do what it's gonna do. Well, it's gonna
work with it. But yeah, I think we're sort of sitting.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Okay, you managed to get the tailing done last week.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yep. Yeah, it was a bit earlyer than I'd like
to go, especially if there's two dis lemming a bit
late lot they always do. But in hindsight, on bloody greed,
we got it done because it was a nice day.
We've got one we share. Right at the end of it,
Sarah managed to say to the contract that's just before
lunchtill we're just before twelve. Oh that rain stayed away
for the day, hasn't it. And we all just looked
at her and went, what did you say? And sure
enough the last pen we got rain, but that was it.
(02:37):
So yeah, got that job done. All done by sort
of three thirty, and numbers are looking reasonable. We're up
on last year. We got absolutely emmered last year. Everyone
got a bit of a hiding this year. But yeah,
at least we're up a wee bit. We should have
another three or four hudred more lambs to kill, so yeah,
positives there and yeah, now.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
It's a hot topic at the moment, being we find
out tomorrow morning, this alliance proposal regarding Dawn meets Jamie
McKay on the Country previously speaking to Pete Turner and Mosbourne,
are you cautiously optimistic about what way this is going
to go?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I don't even know if I'm cautiously optimistic. Obviously I
want the deal to go through. I think it's going
to be pretty close. One thing we've heard, I think
that here was a Riley says there's eighty four or
eighty four percent of shares have already voted, So at
least we've had a good turnout that by as well
in favor of given that fifty percent line, that fifty
percent marker across. But yeah, it's just whether we get
(03:31):
that seventy five percent in favor of. I'd like to
think we will, but yeah, there certainly won't. We won't
be making any calls. I wouldn't be making any placing
any bets on it until we actually know tomorrow. It's
yet too close for comfort for me.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So the farmers you speak to, what are their thoughts
around it? I mean it's very varied. I've heard that
as well. What are you hearing.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I'm the same, very varied. Once again, don't really
know of anyone who's changed their minds since the whole
thing started. People are either forwid or against it. Yeah,
it sounds to me a little bit like the bigger
farmers are against it. But then by the sounds of it,
the third party guys as a general rule, tend to
be in favor of it, and some of them we've
(04:15):
got some pretty big shareholdings too. So yeah, people are
either And the people that I speak to that are
against that aren't in favor of the deal of the
Big five either. They're not in favor of pouring a
whole lot of money, and they seem to talk about
wanting to see it sold up. Just just go to
other companies and see what happens there, which I mean,
there's potentially some benefits there. But I will say if
(04:36):
that happens, my personal viewers that launs will close, an
alliance won't get any money out of it when it closes.
I don't think I could be wrong there. But if
we lose that, I mean, what is it the largest
sheep processing plant in the Southern Hemisphere or in the world.
Possibly even we need to reduce capacity within our industry,
but I don't think closing the biggest one is the
(04:58):
right place to start. Scared about that, but yeah, we'll
just see what happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
It'll be interacing what does unfold. But you can't tell me.
There has been countered talks going on behind the scenes
if it is a no vote as well regarding Alliance
and perhaps I don't know, somebody the government and one
way shape or Formers perhaps is what the next option
would be, because that would be pretty blase on their behalf.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Well, we did hear Winston the other day talking about
how he's den st against it and that maybe the company
should have come to the government. I don't personally believe
the government has any space any place in these negotiations.
And I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the
idea of corporate bailouts too. As much as it would
short term work in our favor this time, it would
open the floodgates for all sorts of things to happen.
If we look back to the Hubard finance thing, I
(05:42):
was pretty against that being backed by the government. Yeah,
it's the way New Zealand works. It's not really a
place we should be going. But I'm sure there's conversations
with other processes as well. I'm sure, like if if
Alliance closes, obviously the other some of the other processes
are going to be looking to snap up those plants
because they're going to have an influx of people looking
to kill lambs. The lambs have got to be killed somewhere,
(06:03):
heaven't they end cattle. So something will definitely happen. It's
just what shape that takes we don't know. But yes,
I'm sure conversations are being had behind closed doors.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
But regardless what happens tomorrow, over capacity is a concern.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Being one hundred percent agree, yeah, we definitely have too
much capacity. But I guess from my point of view,
like just listening to the previous generation talk about the
way things have been in the past, will we need
to address that over capacity? Like I say, I'm not
sure shutting the largest sheep meat processing planted in the
Southern Hemisphere is a great place to start. We probably
(06:37):
need to be looking at closing down some smaller plants
fir Us, But then the problem you're run into there
is those smaller plants are running very profitably at the moment,
then I do wonder two how much of their over
capacity does get sold to third party traders and gets
put through Lawnville. Anyway, we know a bit of that happens.
And if we lose Lawnville, I like I say, I
(06:57):
just get scared. You don't just want to go all
in and say right, let square says down to absolute
minimum capacity required, because then we're going to be having
our allocated space every year. You won't be able to
change it. You'll have to kill when you've got space,
as opposed to having that flexibility to shift your kill
according to grass growth. And well, I understand that costs
(07:18):
the industry a lot of money. It also makes it
a lot of money, and we need to find a
happy medium in between there not go from one polar
extreme to the other.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It's interesting though, speaking at individuals over the weekend who
kill third party and you know, maybe about three thousand
lambs or something like that, there's their lamb kill for
the season. But you totally get it. You can do
it if you're getting above seed or of course you've
got to do.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
That, oh one hundred percent. I've got nothing against the
third party guys.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
To the nature of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
The argument is that of Lawnville disappears, then a lot
of the third party guys will have very little area go.
But by all means, we always used to get quite
upset about the third party thing, and I didn't realize
that they were all shared up, and a few years
ago when I found out they were shared up, it's like, well,
if they're shared up and they're supplying, you can't really
be against that. They've got their money and the thing,
(08:05):
they're entitled to their space, and they're working out, they're working,
they're just they're just using the systems they're advantage. So
absolutely nothing against those courses.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Just finally, your YouTube, your YouTube channel Deep South Sheep
and Beef. Anything been happening there lately? You're just too busy?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, No, I've got three or four videos yet since
I was talking to you last time. One getting a
bit of grass and uh might have been shedding out
I think, and something else. And there's another one. It'll
just be a really instrumental one on tailing. It's pretty
hard to do much recording when you're tailing.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
So when you say instrumental, what are you playing the
guitar in the backery on what's.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
A go instrumental might not be the best read to
use this. It'll just be a whole lot of clips
put together. There'll be no talking or anything in it.
It'll just be a bit of noise from the lambs
and a bit of music over the top and I
don't know, four or five minutes long maybe and just yeah.
As opposed to a usual type of videos, it'll just
be I don't even know what the right word is,
but a cinematic experience, you might.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Say cinematic there is You heard it here from Ben Dowey,
First Toys. Appreciate your time? Will you wait tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Good on and.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui as we catch
up with the news dogs MBS. Nick Bewley, Nick, good afternoon.
Do you need a few rams to graze the stadium
of yours when it finishes up next week?
Speaker 5 (09:23):
Might do? Actually?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Andy here, good afternoon to you. There's a little bit
of uncertainty around the future of our elongated temporary stadium
at Addington, whether it's going to return to I don't know,
a sort of recreational use for the community, or whether
it we'll just go to the highest bidder and we'll
see some more medium density housing shoot up in that
area of christ Church. But yeah, the time being, well,
(09:47):
the decision makes swept around that after this provincial final
at the weekend between Caunterabe and Otamia, we might take
a couple of rams to keep the field in good shape.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
The Polo Projects Stadium, how will it be remembered in
christ Church because we never forget, well we never forget
what Lancaster Park was like. But this has been a
stadium but I suppose has served its purpose in between takaha.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah, I think it's going to have quite a confused
legacy if you're like or a conflicting legacy, because let's
face it, Without it, where would the Crusaders and where
would Canterbury Rugby have gone? Rugby Park their training base.
There has been the odd game there, but it's far
too small, so they needed somewhere to go. They couldn't
(10:29):
return to Lancaster Park course, so it has served a
really important purpose since the earthquakes in twenty eleven. However,
I think there's been increasing frustration, particularly given the delays
to the new stadium, which will finally open in April
next year, and the match day experience that you do
have in Addington. Let's not forgetting it. It is sort
(10:52):
of held together by scaff and the like, and it
rattles and it's pretty tough going, particularly in winter. So yeah,
I think there won't be many people who will miss it,
but I think on the whole people will remember it
as serving a really important purpose because, as I say,
without it, I don't know what it would mean for
(11:15):
the Crusaders and Canterbury probably have to go play at
a bunch of different clubs around the region just to
have home games.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Canterbury versus Otago in the NPC Final, it's a remake
of two thousand and one where redo, I should say,
both teams arguably and pretty good form where they're in
the final. So it goes about saying but this match
could actually be defined as a classic form my opinion.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I'm with you.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I was very fortunate to commentate the Cannabury Otago Ranfilly
Shield game about a month or so ago on gold
Sport and that was an absolute barn burner, a targo
of course getting the job done. They came back late
and won that one by I think it was two
points and they might have been thirty eight thirty six
held onto the Ranfilly shield and have locked that away
for the summer. I think it's two teams who go
(12:01):
about their style of rugby in slightly different ways. To Canterbury,
it's all about a suffocating defense and dominance up in
the carry, the clean and the collision through their foward pack.
As we saw on the weekend Hawks they were you know,
they were there or thereabouts in the first half, but
(12:21):
just completely blown away in the second. Whereas Otago, I
think almost everyone's second team by the sounds of things
around the office and grossier dandy. The way they're going
about the style of rugby very entertaining product. They're willing
to shift the ball attack from deep within their own half.
They've got this incredibly exciting young halfback that everyone's talking
(12:43):
about Dylan Pledger and the open side flanker to Lucas
Casey I think is a serious talent, and then molded
with some real experienced players like your Jona Nerekis and
Sam Gilbert. So I think it sets up really nicely.
Is obviously that you know the regional history and two
old foes Cannabury are targeting and a lot of familiarity
(13:05):
too between the two teams. You think James Lynch's who's
part of the Canterbury coaching staff. He captain Otago, played
almost his entire professional career down in Dunedin. And then
you got first year Otigo head coach Mark Brown who's
based up here in christ Church and was formerly a
Canterbury NPC co coach with Reuben Thorn. So there's a
(13:26):
lot on the line. It all shapes really nicely for
the Saturday I just hope there's a bumper crowded. Last
time I checked this morning, six thousand tickets already pre sold,
which would I reckon exceed the crowd that was there
on Saturday night for that semi final. So if we
can get north of ten thousand, that's got to be
the hope. They can fit about fifteen thousand in there.
(13:48):
It would be great to see that sold outside pop
up before Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Now you gave me the tip earlier out of the
season make around Dylan played Duram, watching him explode onto
the scene the way that he has. But why is
he missed on selection for the av for the New
Zealand A side.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Yeah, it's a good question. Isn't it, Because for mine,
he already even though he hasn't played super rugby, would
have to be one of the top six half backs
in the country. It's an interesting balancing act. This All
Blacks fifteen, This New Zealand B side, if you like,
given its coach by Jamie Joseph, who will also be
Dylan Pledge's Super rugby coach for the Highlanders in season
(14:26):
twenty twenty six. So the official line was that Dylan
Pledger is still very young in.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
His rugby journey.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
The preference for the Jamie Joseph and the preference for
all the way up for the All Blacks coaches is
that Dylan Pledge has a full Super Aby preseason under
his belt back home and is ready to fire from
the word go in Super Raby next year. I kind
of understand it, but sometimes you know, if we cast
our minds all the way back to a young Richie
(14:54):
McCoy w didn't play super rugby before he played for
the All Blacks, just came straight off an MPC campaign.
Some times you've just got to look at talent and say,
if you're old enough, you're good enough. And for me
at least I would have loved to see him board
the plane next week on that All Blacks fifteen talk
a last. We're going to see him in this NPC
final on Saturday, and we're going to hear his name
(15:17):
for a long time to come. I don't want to
put too much pressure on the young man, but for
me anyway, Andy, we're two years out from a World Cup.
We've got a fantastic halfback already in the All Blacks
and Cameron royguard. But it would not shock me, Dylan
pledge you by that point be twenty two years old
for that World Cup in Australia. If he's in the
mix already, such as his talent and the rise already
(15:39):
from the New Zealand under twenty ranks to completely dominating
MPC level, I can see him just shooting the lights
out in Super rugby and going all the way to
being a very good All Black.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Just finally, the Black Caps against England playing short form
at the moment before the fifty over variety kicks off
sooner than later. But unfortunately the weather gods aren't playing
ball as they aren't around the country in a lot
of instances at the moment, and I don't know scheduling
cricket for New Zealand and October seems a bit bizarre.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, their hands.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Are tight, are a little bit, aren't they Andy where
you know that's such as the dominance and proliferation of
franchise T twenty cricket around the country, around the world,
I should say, you know they're.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Struggling to sort of fit in around those schedules in
terms of getting marquee nations like Australia and England.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
But you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Yeah, a real.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Risk and reward dance to schedule any cricket in October,
such as the volatility of the weather. We've found that
here in christ Church Saturday night's game of course being
abandoned O run chase there for the black Cats tonight,
the forecast I am pleased to say it looks slightly bitter,
There is the odd chance of a shower, but we
should get in all of or if not, just a
(16:51):
couple of minor disruptions for the second T twenty. But yeah,
you would hope down the line we can get back
to it genuinely being a summer of cricket.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Nick Beuley, we can hear your commentaries on gold Sport
for the final time. You're probably taking the red or
gun with you on Saturday, taking that seat home with you.
You deserve a mate. All the best for the call.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
Thank you, Eddie.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
You've been very lucky this year with a Super Rugby
Final with the Crusaders and now an NBC Final here
and Chrissyitch as well. Cannot wait.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
It should be a.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Jeff Grant catches up with us once again this afternoon.
The news came out this morning that Alliance Farmers shareholders
have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strategic investment partnership
with Irish based Dawn Meet's Jess been pretty vocal around
the situation regarding this collaboration. Joins us today to give
a bit of an overview of what happens next. Jeff,
(17:52):
good afternoon, once again. What's your initial reaction.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
I think, officially, congratulations to the Alliance board and management
for the success of the vote. You know, I think
all of us, either side of the argument, would like
to see that the vote was either one way or
the other reasonably strongly and so on that basis, I
think at eighty seven percent have got a clear mandate
(18:18):
to follow through on the dorm Meets deal.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
You've heard rumors at Nile Brown, the chief executive door
Meets has been and down on the South over the
past couple of days, So he wouldn't have turned up
here if there wasn't a deal on the table. I
suppose that should have given it away.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
The other aspect would have been I would have thought
that if there had been a no vote, door Meats
would have had of you about what they might still
want to do, and that would have been either a
conversation with the banks or or possibly with the NO
group in terms of their funding models. So on that basis,
you know, i'd expect if you're doing a material furtures
(18:54):
of a company especially, I'm sure you want to be
there to find out the result.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Are you surprised at the y's of which a line
shareholders put this proposal through?
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Look, I think that the whole debate was really driven
by two aspects. One was that there was probably a
high level of apathy in the early stages. That probably
changed a bit with us arguing the no case. So
on the number of people who actually voted. In terms
(19:24):
of the ninety million years, that was a substantial vote,
and so that really challenged you that people got engaged
during that process. I think the second part was just
this ever ending threat of the bank stepping in on
the nineteenth of December, because it just created a cloud
(19:45):
of saying, well, what are the options if this happened.
My view has always been that the banks wouldn't have
stepped in on the nineteenk close a plant down six
days before Christmas in the start of the peak season
would have been a mechanism to work through the season
for the seasonal finance. We would have felt comfortable about
(20:07):
being able to meet a bulk of the debt in
some of the equity by the nineteenth. So on that basis,
you know, farmies just going to have to accept that
they have lost from seventy percent equity down to forty
percent under the current regime. You know, this board needs
to really reflect why did the company get itself into
this position in the first place. And that's probably the
(20:30):
biggest frustration as we watched the last come up in
New Zealand meat industry disappear. The reality is this was
reflected directly on the way that board and the management
have operated over the last probably five years.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Jeff, do you have a concern this can be seen
as nothing more than a short term sugar fix.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Look, if you were looking around the world and saying
where would be a compatible person or company to be
involved in the New Zealand meat industry and fairness, dorm
Meats will be in that top five. So in terms
of company being in the Northern Hemisphere, higher and beef,
lower and land is a mix with the Alliance group.
(21:14):
But I just you know, the frustration I've got is
this didn't need to happen.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Do you think the Alliance Sport has been pretty transparent
through this process because a lot of people have been
cynical about it.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
No, no, they haven't at all. And I don't think
that in terms of the exploring the options, I think
the board found itself somewhat stuck by the fact it
was under some pressure with the banks. I mean, this
is like a farmer, you know, just ignoring his bank
for a long time and then suddenly the bank says
to you, look mate, if you can't sort out your finances,
(21:48):
we're going to shut you up to allow you know,
a co op or a company to get to that position.
It just makes you really wonder.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
So is it a case of the questioning starts now.
Regarding the line sport, perhaps.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
Look, I think it will be a study of university
business management courses for some years to come. This would
be one of the saddest outcomes of a New Zealand
owned enterprise ending up in the hands of somebody else,
and when it probably had the opportunity of not having
(22:22):
to go down that track.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You talked about over capacity before, it's still something that
needs to address in the red meat sector.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
All of this questions well venus. This question has been
in front of the industry for about twenty five years,
so it's increasingly becoming a problem. I think over capacity
will continue for another few years. The question would be
is there going to be some consolidation or is there
just going to be companies closing. That's you get to
(22:53):
play out. I can't product what we're going to see,
but I would say, especially the numbers, the way that
the climbing, especially in cheap meat, I think you're going
to see a better I'll tick with beef over the
next three to five years, but on sheet meat, I
don't see a plateau coming forward some time.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
The Northern Southlam Farmer's counterproposal to alliance. Do you think
it was a case of too little, too late.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, Look, there were two difficulties in that. One is
that I think if ball Meats and the Alliance Group
proposal have been fifty to fifty with an injection of
capital over three years, or say twenty five million from shareholders,
I don't think we would have had a debate. It
was just the fact that it was sixty five percent.
(23:41):
Could there have been an argument that some eighteen months
ago that the recapitalization, Well, the reality was it was
in the hands of the book to find a suitable partner.
And I don't think anybody felt that the original capital
raised with the shareholders has done anything other than poorly timed,
(24:03):
poorly organized, and done with some arrogance in terms of
just lopping off you without really a good explanation as
to the need and desire for the strategy of the
company going forward. So for that reason, I'd fully understand
why shoholders initially didn't put money in it at the
worst time. We have sold a company at the worst
time it's history in terms of debt that has completely
(24:27):
turned around in the last twelve months and its projections
going forward to much more stronger than they did twelve
months ago.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
So you believe there would have been another option on
the table if this had been a no voter but
not a bailout. But the banks would have been forgiving
to a degree.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
No, no, the banks wouldn't have been forgiving. And the
wye Ey group had effectively had two leaders of intent,
one involved at some equity, the other involved the rationalization
in terms of debt and then the ability for farmers
to capitalize the something over a period of time. I
would have to say through the the great work of
(25:05):
Mark Gunton, who's got obviously good stretch out into the
international market through his own business. Clearly those two letters
of intent which were given to the chairman of Alliance
Crew Glass Friday were ones that genuinely would have given
us a solution.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I suppose the issue with third party though, is just
going to hang around and of nothing else, just game
more momentum as red meat becomes a premium product and
supplies at a minimum too.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
Yeah, look, I think the short term future of the
re meat industry is pretty good. You know, would possibly
have to thank mister Trump to a certain extent on
the b side, with tariffs extended, just distorting the market
and on that basis, I think we'll see some strong
pricing over the next twelve twenty four months. But you know,
(25:53):
like allways in the meat industry, when you're up, you
go down.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Jeff Grant always appreciate your time on the Master.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
Cheers.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Wow, thanks to Abby Rural. We catch up the great
Disaster McMaster, and we do so again this afternoon. Disaster.
Good afternoon. It sounds as are up in the basin
and looking to you almost need to have your flippers on.
Speaker 7 (26:20):
Yeah, it doesn't rain, it just paused. So good afternoon, Andy,
Good after everybody. The weather's turned to shite and haven't
stopped raining since about six o'clock yesterday morning. And that
time we've had was when I left this morning at
eight o'clock seventy five mils so. And it's still it's
eased off a little bit. It's the teenage six degrees.
(26:41):
A lot of snow went around yet well it's hard
to see because it was just cragged in, but there
was snow went around yesterday afternoon and it was gone
this morning with more rain. So yeah, I've been over
our town at the Hill's block there this morning, the
flats along Home and gully road or a wash with water.
I think that's more a drainage problem that the council
(27:03):
have with subdeveloped developments going in and we're nowhere for
the water people putting up burms and you know, water
not being able to get down into the over your
gravel and what have you. But you fit of water
on the flats there but nine degrees in ourtown and
the rain at east and it was a little bit fend,
a little bit warmer. But looking around over there, as
(27:25):
mentioned before, the two d jeries is about one hundred
and forty of them lambing over there. Picked up a
dead you and one dead lamb this morning, So that
was all right. And I'm just out at Moat Lake
now and it's you know, the road is coming into
Moat Lake and just by Lake Kirkpatrick, it's on a
bit of a fall. It's just absolutely gorged out, so
(27:45):
gouged out, I should say, and a lot of surface water.
And again the Bloody Hills is just waterfalls from places
I haven't seen andy. So that's today, and I don't
think the forecast is much better for Thursday. Yeah, they're trying.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Times compared to last year. Grant, what's alike is a
very similar.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Similar but but we've had more rain man over a
slightly longer period, and it doesn't look as it's going
to ease, you know, the end of this week either.
So it's yeah, it's it's very green at the moment,
and if it does stop raining and we get a
bit of heat, I'm sure we're going to be in
a good position as long as all the lambs don't
get washed away in the meantime. But just coming through
(28:28):
the road this morning, and I haven't seen too many
dead lambs, and sent a couple up in the bushes,
but there's other lambs around them, so I just carry
on and when it flies up tomorrow or the next
day and they're lying in the sun, hopefully I'll pick
them up. But yeah, at this stage, I think that
the lambing has been a bit well, it's been a
(28:49):
bit slower, which hasn't been sa bad. I guess it's
it's an ill wind that blows no good. But yeah,
it's there's I'm reasonably happy the way things are looking.
I thought it might have been a lot worse than
it is, so quite pleased about that. But if it's
not raining any time at life of.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Course you're right in the middle of Lambing at the
moment too, so it's less than ideal.
Speaker 7 (29:10):
No, And you know, carving still full bore as well.
And yesterday while that rain was just constant, it didn't
have a there was no window. That wasn't such a
chill factor like you get with the wind. Mind do
I say that because I was sitting inside in front
of the log burn in the afternoon. But it was
you know, it wasn't it wasn't windy, and it wasn't
(29:33):
a cold wind. So just just that continual rain, which
is sort of the less of the evils bit of
wind during the night. But then I thought, I like
it might have blown through, but then raining again this morning,
so and continue continuing to do it now and as
I say, it's down to six degrees here at the moment.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Now you've had a couple of instances around Lambing with
members of the public or tourists. I don't know, you've
got a bit of a story to tell around this disaster.
I'm sure it'd be pretty much a doozy as well.
Speaker 7 (30:00):
Well, you know, we can't be all doom and gloom.
You know, dogs are killing bloody sheep and the rains here.
But you know, there's always the silver lining, isn't there,
And that's what lives about. You just got to keep going.
But I got to call the other night to say
a bloke said that he was coming out of Moat
Lake and there was a you that was down by
a fence line next to the road, and it had
(30:22):
a couple of lambs that were a bit sickly, and
he tried to give one on my feet and so
I said, I'm right, I'll be around there in the
morning and i'll sort that out because it was dark.
So I come over in the morning and I just
was coming up towards the area and this guy stops
in the car. He saw you, the manager, and I said, yes,
I am. I said, you're the guy that's He said sorry,
(30:44):
he said, I'm the one that's been pestering about that sheep.
And I said, no, hope, good on, you know, thanks
very much. And anyway, he said, well, he said, I've
been there this morning. The lamb, he said, I gave it.
I tried to give it a drink last night and
come after you obviously, and he should have any this morning.
I got there early, and he said it was quite cold,
he said, So I've had it in my car for
(31:05):
the last hour with the heater on. I said, thanks
very much, sure that there's much appreciated. Oh, I can
take over from here, which I did. So I thought,
you know, you know, the public, you can't. Sometimes you think, gee,
I wish I just just sort of mind their own business.
But you know that most people are animal lovers and
they see the best and everything. And you know, I
(31:27):
said to this guy, well you've done really well, Thanks
very much. So I thought, you know, people are you know,
for a lot of a lot of reasons. You know,
there's people that come out. They are very you know,
they want to see the best and everything and nature
is you know, does its own thing, and they're there
to help and they think they are a great job
and sometimes they don't. But you can't knock them forward,
(31:48):
and you've got to thank them and be grateful.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
I guess facts in the rural urban divide one day
at a time. Hey, Grant, just finally, what are your
thoughts around this alliance? The alliance deal that is now
was doing well.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
I think it was a sort of a form of
long conclusion. Really, I mean that there's all the facts
and the figures we've heard. There's there's nothing new that
we don't know about the about the meat industry. So
you know, their debt, their debt service and with the banks,
you know, it comes back to over capacity and the
meat works. You got to say poor management along the way,
(32:21):
you know, procurement, wars, marketing, all of that. You know,
there's you know, there's been recessions and what have you.
But at the end of the day, we need to
sell our meet. And I you know, I thought it
was a good effort from those that that group of
farmers that thought they could get something going. But I guess,
you know, eight eight percent people wanted wanted to sale
(32:44):
to go. I think the fact is, you know that
the debt loading is is is incredible, and you know
we need to we need to be able to get
on and and supply the lands and farmers not having
to be putting in their in their pockets, and you know,
we we need good management to make sure this happens.
And I just I just hope the fact that you know,
well we've got you know, we've got you know, the
(33:08):
Chinese and with silver fir and farms and Japanese NSCO.
So we've got the paddies and with us now and
I guess you know that, but I think it could
be a right of the fact that you know, if
we can kill here off season to the to the
northern hemisphere, and perhaps that opens up markets for you know,
(33:28):
getting meat into the into the EU and eas into
the UK practs. But you know, the farmers have spoken
and it's not as it was a tight run thing.
I think people just had a you know, guts full
of everything that's happening. And let's hope that the new
broom sweets clean.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Wise words is always grand. All the best of the
weather up there. Here's hoping you get some sunshine and
some when to dry things out sooner than later.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Hey yeah, I just put the flippers and the goggles
on the snorker and I was just going to kick
the news pagady.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Doan Morrison starts us off this this afternoon on the
muster Willow Bank Farmer and Alliance board director. How we
good afternoon, how things o Killy?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
And you've given me another good leading with some Dave
dobbin and d D smash. That's a great sound.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
I seriously contemplated giving you Jefferson Starships just so you
can tell your story for Lucky once again.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
We've heard that. Enough time go to some day Dobin story,
shall we? So HC is playing Ripe and Monica in March,
which would be well worth going and seeing that comfort.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
No, absolutely, when you get these concerts come around, how
you can't really knock them back, just like the proposal
with Dawn Meets wasn't knocked back overwhelming vote in favor
of Dawn Meats getting involved with Alliance. I suppose initially
for twenty four hours on from your perspective, it's probably
one of relief that this has gone through, right.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I think it's it's probably recognition of a lot of
hard work done by a lot of people a in
you know, the whole process of putting the best deal
forward for what we needed to do, and then in
delivering the message with twenty four road shows to all
our shareholders, you know, virtual weabinears. There's a whole lot
of work from some really really good people going behind that.
(35:23):
And I think what we saw through the whole thing
was incredible leadership from Billy Visa and our CEO and
Mark one tier of the board. I think it was
some outstanding leadership to the galvanized people and galvanize the message.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah, it's interesting to bring that up. How he's saying
the leadership's galvanize the message. But the argument offer is
that the leadership hasn't been there over the last five,
six seven years with the organization.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Look, we've been pretty strong in the in the messaging
that we've been putting out. More recently, we had a
we had a bit of a change of regime on
the on the board and the tier, and we just
said we would be more transparent. We know we weren't
as transparent as we needed to be, and cheerholders needed
to understand where we were and where we're going and.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Why we are where we are.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
So certainly that last two years we believe we've been
really transparent. You know, it's interesting, Andy's people. We have
brief bites. We have roadshows where webinears to some people
that don't go or look at any of them and
then say, how you're not communicating, so I will throw
it back. There's a bit of responsibility on both sides.
We've got to give opportunity to get the message out
(36:30):
and people have got to take that opportunity to learn
where we are.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
But the messaging on the other foot as well, how
we going to these meetings and listening to farmers was
one of frustration too.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
And as come again, Andy, you were saying the message
from farmers was frustration.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Yeah, absolutely, listening to farmers at the meeting and Gorse
saying this option had to go through because they were
just frustrated from the leadership angle over the last five
to six seven years. And obviously it wasn't Mark or
Willy's problem, but they inherited it.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Oh look, I don't think you can blame any one
particular regime, but what it is is that it's it's
previous and success of boards decisions that have made or
weren't made. I mean, we can we can analyze them
in Hindsight's great, we've all got twenty twenty vision on hindsight.
And you know, looking back, there was certainly clear that
we as a board, we we didn't have a mechanism
(37:19):
to capitalize our balance sheet and the two ways you
do that and you do that through retained earnings through profits,
and with a twenty million dollar it would profit over
the over the last ten years from a company with
a two billion dollar plus turnover, but with similar levels
of capis going out, there was not a chance to
(37:40):
do that through retained earnings. And your only other mechanism
is through shareholders investing, and two things I think historically,
you know, shareholders have been more interested in schedule and
competitive pricing, and you know there's been a lot of
criticism that we weren't there. So it's so I think
market share would have been very vulnerable if you tried
(38:00):
to take funds off your shareholders, and certainly in the
last process with Canvas, we tried and the message was
how we would prefer to put that money back into
our farms, and that was a clean message we got.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
So what changes for the Alliance Group after yesterday's announcement?
Speaker 3 (38:19):
So Alliance carries on as Alliance, albeit with a different ownership.
But what you've got is a well, for a start,
we've got a strong balance sheet which allows us to
invest and operate in a way that we believe we
can be far more, far stronger on pricing because we're
going to be able citizens to get stronger prices in
(38:40):
the market, going to different channels and operating in a
different way. So that's the important But and not beholding
to that working capital limit that was there from the bank,
but certainly it is a bigger better company now, Andy,
with that Door Meat partnership, with access to fifty two
weeks for grass bead animals, supply, new access into markets
(39:05):
that we went as strong, and access with their joint
Ventorshire partner door meets and markets that we are really strong,
and a lot of knowledge to be gained from their
operation around processing efficiencies that we can learn from them
and they can learn from us. So I would say
it's actually a really exciting time as a farmer supplier
(39:26):
to be looking to supply your animals to Alliance over
these next years, and particularly when we're in probably one
of the strongest supply markets that we've we've ever been
in with their with their pricing at the moment.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Now you're hearing that Irish farmers who supplied dawn meats
aren't that chucked about this going through and you can
understand that as well.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Andy, I think you really when you say something like that,
you've got to understand the scale of any criticism. Is
it one farmer, is it two farmers? You know we've
seen through them.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Let's just UK farming on a HOLDERU at the moment
got the red Tractor movement free example, being very parochial
towards Iran considering the situation through Europe and the EU.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, I mean they've got they got a
very strong butcal lobby groups over there. But I think
to say that, I think you just said that our
Irish farmers went happy or something to that effect, I
think that would be an absolute minority. And I think
the media always has the capability to sensationalize, and we've
seen this through this whole process. When there was an
(40:27):
alternate view to what we were proposing, it gets a
lot of media time, you know, it doesn't as you
saw that only reflected twelve percent of our suppliers, but
it was getting proportional media time to those that were
you know, we had eighty eight percent of the supply
that wanted Yes, So I think you've often got to
be careful with some of the statements that come out
in the media.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, but it's an opportunity for messaging to get out
there as well too.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Though.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
It's an opportunity for messaging to get out there, but
media will often try and sensationalize, which yeah, is fine.
That you. That's so you sell it time on newspapers,
but I think there's a responsibility to also project the
majority feeling and and and reflect that view to Andy.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Niall Brown, the boss of Dawn meets down in the
South yesterday. How was he received by the farmers that
met him?
Speaker 3 (41:17):
I think very well and really genuine guy, grassroots guy,
great manner. But look, that's that's going to be Nile's
one of his roles will be to get out and
meet out farmers. And very early days, yet he was
obviously down for the vote and look there was no
there was no Jimmy there was there was no heads
(41:38):
up on what it was going to be. But obviously
he would want to be there when you're when you're
looking at making that big an investment, you want to
be there to support whatever the decision was.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
So as far as over capacity, what did he have
to say about that, giving it's an issue, Well, look.
Speaker 3 (41:54):
That's not It's an issue that faces the industry and
right now it's we will we've clearly rationalized alliance for
closing Smithfield to address our capacity and our catchment, and
we actually think we're really well provisioned. So I can't
comment on. You know what that's going to look like
for other companies, but there is sometimes you do have
(42:17):
to take that responsibility and take the initiative and if
it's the right thing to do, you've got to be
prepared to do it. So that I imagine we will
see some more closures of plants, whether it's some in
this immediate here, but certainly that will be required.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
What's not a harder strange Don Morrison, Alliance Boort director
and a farmer at willow Bank. Remembering it's a long weekend,
so we'll be back Tuesday at one o'clock. My name
is Andy Muller. This has been, of course the best
of the muster. We do appreciate your company. Wrap up
war go Atago
Last night, how the Strangers a very good morning and
welcome along to the best of the muster a collaboration
of interviews. It took our attention during a rather busy
week here at Hokanui HQ. My name's Andy Buher. Were
starting off yell with Ben Durley. Now Ben was on
Monday before the Alliance announcement with Dawn Meets was ratified
(00:26):
and went through, which was Tuesday morning coincidentally, but Ben
was telling us why he thought this process had to
get the green tack. And we continue this theme by
catching up with Jeff Grant on the show as well,
and Jeff was on the other side of it thinking
well it's gone through, but is it the best long
term solution. Nick Newley was on the program as well,
(00:47):
talking all things sport a Tago against Kennerbury in the
final of the MPC and just reflecting on the NPC
as well, what it's how it's been this year and
has been a doozy if we're perfectly honest. Grant as
usked McMaster farms of lab lap In Station and he's
having real issues with weather as a lot of the
country is at the moment, but particularly with rainfall numbers
(01:07):
and just trying to get grass growth and up there
at the basin there the whole country where they're in
the middle of landing at the moment, Grant says, where
is the sunshine? And Howie Morrison Don Morrison, Willowbank farmer
and a Lionce board director. He wraps up the hour
talking about what it means from his perspective with his
vote going through, and also where the media, in his opinion,
(01:29):
needs to be had accountable. So we're starting the hour
now with Ben Dooley. You're listening to the best of
the muster. Drag me on, Ben Dewey, Farm's just out
of wind and sheep beef and YouTube farmer deals. Good afternoon,
Good Andy.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Here's a gown, not.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Bad, but as a look outside, it's just a tad wet.
I'd imagine the situations to say that your place.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
She's pretty miserable there at the moment. And to be
fair of the forecast for the next nine or ten
days does not look much better or was worse for
some of them. But we're reasonably I wouldn't say we're
up to date, but we're reasonably. Yeah, we've got a
few bit of stuff done the last few weeks. So
weather's gonna do what it's gonna do. Well, it's gonna
work with it. But yeah, I think we're sort of sitting.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Okay, you managed to get the tailing done last week.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yep. Yeah, it was a bit earlyer than I'd like
to go, especially if there's two dis lemming a bit
late lot they always do. But in hindsight, on bloody greed,
we got it done because it was a nice day.
We've got one we share. Right at the end of it,
Sarah managed to say to the contract that's just before
lunchtill we're just before twelve. Oh that rain stayed away
for the day, hasn't it. And we all just looked
at her and went, what did you say? And sure
enough the last pen we got rain, but that was it.
(02:37):
So yeah, got that job done. All done by sort
of three thirty, and numbers are looking reasonable. We're up
on last year. We got absolutely emmered last year. Everyone
got a bit of a hiding this year. But yeah,
at least we're up a wee bit. We should have
another three or four hudred more lambs to kill, so yeah,
positives there and yeah, now.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
It's a hot topic at the moment, being we find
out tomorrow morning, this alliance proposal regarding Dawn meets Jamie
McKay on the Country previously speaking to Pete Turner and Mosbourne,
are you cautiously optimistic about what way this is going
to go?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I don't even know if I'm cautiously optimistic. Obviously I
want the deal to go through. I think it's going
to be pretty close. One thing we've heard, I think
that here was a Riley says there's eighty four or
eighty four percent of shares have already voted, So at
least we've had a good turnout that by as well
in favor of given that fifty percent line, that fifty
percent marker across. But yeah, it's just whether we get
(03:31):
that seventy five percent in favor of. I'd like to
think we will, but yeah, there certainly won't. We won't
be making any calls. I wouldn't be making any placing
any bets on it until we actually know tomorrow. It's
yet too close for comfort for me.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So the farmers you speak to, what are their thoughts
around it? I mean it's very varied. I've heard that
as well. What are you hearing.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I'm the same, very varied. Once again, don't really
know of anyone who's changed their minds since the whole
thing started. People are either forwid or against it. Yeah,
it sounds to me a little bit like the bigger
farmers are against it. But then by the sounds of it,
the third party guys as a general rule, tend to
be in favor of it, and some of them we've
(04:15):
got some pretty big shareholdings too. So yeah, people are
either And the people that I speak to that are
against that aren't in favor of the deal of the
Big five either. They're not in favor of pouring a
whole lot of money, and they seem to talk about
wanting to see it sold up. Just just go to
other companies and see what happens there, which I mean,
there's potentially some benefits there. But I will say if
(04:36):
that happens, my personal viewers that launs will close, an
alliance won't get any money out of it when it closes.
I don't think I could be wrong there. But if
we lose that, I mean, what is it the largest
sheep processing plant in the Southern Hemisphere or in the world.
Possibly even we need to reduce capacity within our industry,
but I don't think closing the biggest one is the
(04:58):
right place to start. Scared about that, but yeah, we'll
just see what happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
It'll be interacing what does unfold. But you can't tell me.
There has been countered talks going on behind the scenes
if it is a no vote as well regarding Alliance
and perhaps I don't know, somebody the government and one
way shape or Formers perhaps is what the next option
would be, because that would be pretty blase on their behalf.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Well, we did hear Winston the other day talking about
how he's den st against it and that maybe the company
should have come to the government. I don't personally believe
the government has any space any place in these negotiations.
And I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the
idea of corporate bailouts too. As much as it would
short term work in our favor this time, it would
open the floodgates for all sorts of things to happen.
If we look back to the Hubard finance thing, I
(05:42):
was pretty against that being backed by the government. Yeah,
it's the way New Zealand works. It's not really a
place we should be going. But I'm sure there's conversations
with other processes as well. I'm sure, like if if
Alliance closes, obviously the other some of the other processes
are going to be looking to snap up those plants
because they're going to have an influx of people looking
to kill lambs. The lambs have got to be killed somewhere,
(06:03):
heaven't they end cattle. So something will definitely happen. It's
just what shape that takes we don't know. But yes,
I'm sure conversations are being had behind closed doors.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
But regardless what happens tomorrow, over capacity is a concern.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Being one hundred percent agree, yeah, we definitely have too
much capacity. But I guess from my point of view,
like just listening to the previous generation talk about the
way things have been in the past, will we need
to address that over capacity? Like I say, I'm not
sure shutting the largest sheep meat processing planted in the
Southern Hemisphere is a great place to start. We probably
(06:37):
need to be looking at closing down some smaller plants
fir Us, But then the problem you're run into there
is those smaller plants are running very profitably at the moment,
then I do wonder two how much of their over
capacity does get sold to third party traders and gets
put through Lawnville. Anyway, we know a bit of that happens.
And if we lose Lawnville, I like I say, I
(06:57):
just get scared. You don't just want to go all
in and say right, let square says down to absolute
minimum capacity required, because then we're going to be having
our allocated space every year. You won't be able to
change it. You'll have to kill when you've got space,
as opposed to having that flexibility to shift your kill
according to grass growth. And well, I understand that costs
(07:18):
the industry a lot of money. It also makes it
a lot of money, and we need to find a
happy medium in between there not go from one polar
extreme to the other.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It's interesting though, speaking at individuals over the weekend who
kill third party and you know, maybe about three thousand
lambs or something like that, there's their lamb kill for
the season. But you totally get it. You can do
it if you're getting above seed or of course you've
got to do.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
That, oh one hundred percent. I've got nothing against the
third party guys.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
To the nature of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
The argument is that of Lawnville disappears, then a lot
of the third party guys will have very little area go.
But by all means, we always used to get quite
upset about the third party thing, and I didn't realize
that they were all shared up, and a few years
ago when I found out they were shared up, it's like, well,
if they're shared up and they're supplying, you can't really
be against that. They've got their money and the thing,
(08:05):
they're entitled to their space, and they're working out, they're working,
they're just they're just using the systems they're advantage. So
absolutely nothing against those courses.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Just finally, your YouTube, your YouTube channel Deep South Sheep
and Beef. Anything been happening there lately? You're just too busy?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, No, I've got three or four videos yet since
I was talking to you last time. One getting a
bit of grass and uh might have been shedding out
I think, and something else. And there's another one. It'll
just be a really instrumental one on tailing. It's pretty
hard to do much recording when you're tailing.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
So when you say instrumental, what are you playing the
guitar in the backery on what's.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
A go instrumental might not be the best read to
use this. It'll just be a whole lot of clips
put together. There'll be no talking or anything in it.
It'll just be a bit of noise from the lambs
and a bit of music over the top and I
don't know, four or five minutes long maybe and just yeah.
As opposed to a usual type of videos, it'll just
be I don't even know what the right word is,
but a cinematic experience, you might.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Say cinematic there is You heard it here from Ben Dowey,
First Toys. Appreciate your time? Will you wait tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Good on and.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui as we catch
up with the news dogs MBS. Nick Bewley, Nick, good afternoon.
Do you need a few rams to graze the stadium
of yours when it finishes up next week?
Speaker 5 (09:23):
Might do? Actually?
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Andy here, good afternoon to you. There's a little bit
of uncertainty around the future of our elongated temporary stadium
at Addington, whether it's going to return to I don't know,
a sort of recreational use for the community, or whether
it we'll just go to the highest bidder and we'll
see some more medium density housing shoot up in that
area of christ Church. But yeah, the time being, well,
(09:47):
the decision makes swept around that after this provincial final
at the weekend between Caunterabe and Otamia, we might take
a couple of rams to keep the field in good shape.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
The Polo Projects Stadium, how will it be remembered in
christ Church because we never forget, well we never forget
what Lancaster Park was like. But this has been a
stadium but I suppose has served its purpose in between takaha.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah, I think it's going to have quite a confused
legacy if you're like or a conflicting legacy, because let's
face it, Without it, where would the Crusaders and where
would Canterbury Rugby have gone? Rugby Park their training base.
There has been the odd game there, but it's far
too small, so they needed somewhere to go. They couldn't
(10:29):
return to Lancaster Park course, so it has served a
really important purpose since the earthquakes in twenty eleven. However,
I think there's been increasing frustration, particularly given the delays
to the new stadium, which will finally open in April
next year, and the match day experience that you do
have in Addington. Let's not forgetting it. It is sort
(10:52):
of held together by scaff and the like, and it
rattles and it's pretty tough going, particularly in winter. So yeah,
I think there won't be many people who will miss it,
but I think on the whole people will remember it
as serving a really important purpose because, as I say,
without it, I don't know what it would mean for
(11:15):
the Crusaders and Canterbury probably have to go play at
a bunch of different clubs around the region just to
have home games.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Canterbury versus Otago in the NPC Final, it's a remake
of two thousand and one where redo, I should say,
both teams arguably and pretty good form where they're in
the final. So it goes about saying but this match
could actually be defined as a classic form my opinion.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I'm with you.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I was very fortunate to commentate the Cannabury Otago Ranfilly
Shield game about a month or so ago on gold
Sport and that was an absolute barn burner, a targo
of course getting the job done. They came back late
and won that one by I think it was two
points and they might have been thirty eight thirty six
held onto the Ranfilly shield and have locked that away
for the summer. I think it's two teams who go
(12:01):
about their style of rugby in slightly different ways. To Canterbury,
it's all about a suffocating defense and dominance up in
the carry, the clean and the collision through their foward pack.
As we saw on the weekend Hawks they were you know,
they were there or thereabouts in the first half, but
(12:21):
just completely blown away in the second. Whereas Otago, I
think almost everyone's second team by the sounds of things
around the office and grossier dandy. The way they're going
about the style of rugby very entertaining product. They're willing
to shift the ball attack from deep within their own half.
They've got this incredibly exciting young halfback that everyone's talking
(12:43):
about Dylan Pledger and the open side flanker to Lucas
Casey I think is a serious talent, and then molded
with some real experienced players like your Jona Nerekis and
Sam Gilbert. So I think it sets up really nicely.
Is obviously that you know the regional history and two
old foes Cannabury are targeting and a lot of familiarity
(13:05):
too between the two teams. You think James Lynch's who's
part of the Canterbury coaching staff. He captain Otago, played
almost his entire professional career down in Dunedin. And then
you got first year Otigo head coach Mark Brown who's
based up here in christ Church and was formerly a
Canterbury NPC co coach with Reuben Thorn. So there's a
(13:26):
lot on the line. It all shapes really nicely for
the Saturday I just hope there's a bumper crowded. Last
time I checked this morning, six thousand tickets already pre sold,
which would I reckon exceed the crowd that was there
on Saturday night for that semi final. So if we
can get north of ten thousand, that's got to be
the hope. They can fit about fifteen thousand in there.
(13:48):
It would be great to see that sold outside pop
up before Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Now you gave me the tip earlier out of the
season make around Dylan played Duram, watching him explode onto
the scene the way that he has. But why is
he missed on selection for the av for the New
Zealand A side.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Yeah, it's a good question. Isn't it, Because for mine,
he already even though he hasn't played super rugby, would
have to be one of the top six half backs
in the country. It's an interesting balancing act. This All
Blacks fifteen, This New Zealand B side, if you like,
given its coach by Jamie Joseph, who will also be
Dylan Pledge's Super rugby coach for the Highlanders in season
(14:26):
twenty twenty six. So the official line was that Dylan
Pledger is still very young in.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
His rugby journey.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
The preference for the Jamie Joseph and the preference for
all the way up for the All Blacks coaches is
that Dylan Pledge has a full Super Aby preseason under
his belt back home and is ready to fire from
the word go in Super Raby next year. I kind
of understand it, but sometimes you know, if we cast
our minds all the way back to a young Richie
(14:54):
McCoy w didn't play super rugby before he played for
the All Blacks, just came straight off an MPC campaign.
Some times you've just got to look at talent and say,
if you're old enough, you're good enough. And for me
at least I would have loved to see him board
the plane next week on that All Blacks fifteen talk
a last. We're going to see him in this NPC
final on Saturday, and we're going to hear his name
(15:17):
for a long time to come. I don't want to
put too much pressure on the young man, but for
me anyway, Andy, we're two years out from a World Cup.
We've got a fantastic halfback already in the All Blacks
and Cameron royguard. But it would not shock me, Dylan
pledge you by that point be twenty two years old
for that World Cup in Australia. If he's in the
mix already, such as his talent and the rise already
(15:39):
from the New Zealand under twenty ranks to completely dominating
MPC level, I can see him just shooting the lights
out in Super rugby and going all the way to
being a very good All Black.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Just finally, the Black Caps against England playing short form
at the moment before the fifty over variety kicks off
sooner than later. But unfortunately the weather gods aren't playing
ball as they aren't around the country in a lot
of instances at the moment, and I don't know scheduling
cricket for New Zealand and October seems a bit bizarre.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, their hands.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Are tight, are a little bit, aren't they Andy where
you know that's such as the dominance and proliferation of
franchise T twenty cricket around the country, around the world,
I should say, you know they're.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Struggling to sort of fit in around those schedules in
terms of getting marquee nations like Australia and England.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
But you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Yeah, a real.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Risk and reward dance to schedule any cricket in October,
such as the volatility of the weather. We've found that
here in christ Church Saturday night's game of course being
abandoned O run chase there for the black Cats tonight,
the forecast I am pleased to say it looks slightly bitter,
There is the odd chance of a shower, but we
should get in all of or if not, just a
(16:51):
couple of minor disruptions for the second T twenty. But yeah,
you would hope down the line we can get back
to it genuinely being a summer of cricket.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Nick Beuley, we can hear your commentaries on gold Sport
for the final time. You're probably taking the red or
gun with you on Saturday, taking that seat home with you.
You deserve a mate. All the best for the call.
Speaker 5 (17:09):
Thank you, Eddie.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
You've been very lucky this year with a Super Rugby
Final with the Crusaders and now an NBC Final here
and Chrissyitch as well. Cannot wait.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
It should be a.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Jeff Grant catches up with us once again this afternoon.
The news came out this morning that Alliance Farmers shareholders
have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strategic investment partnership
with Irish based Dawn Meet's Jess been pretty vocal around
the situation regarding this collaboration. Joins us today to give
a bit of an overview of what happens next. Jeff,
(17:52):
good afternoon, once again. What's your initial reaction.
Speaker 5 (17:55):
I think, officially, congratulations to the Alliance board and management
for the success of the vote. You know, I think
all of us, either side of the argument, would like
to see that the vote was either one way or
the other reasonably strongly and so on that basis, I
think at eighty seven percent have got a clear mandate
(18:18):
to follow through on the dorm Meets deal.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
You've heard rumors at Nile Brown, the chief executive door
Meets has been and down on the South over the
past couple of days, So he wouldn't have turned up
here if there wasn't a deal on the table. I
suppose that should have given it away.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
The other aspect would have been I would have thought
that if there had been a no vote, door Meats
would have had of you about what they might still
want to do, and that would have been either a
conversation with the banks or or possibly with the NO
group in terms of their funding models. So on that basis,
you know, i'd expect if you're doing a material furtures
(18:54):
of a company especially, I'm sure you want to be
there to find out the result.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Are you surprised at the y's of which a line
shareholders put this proposal through?
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Look, I think that the whole debate was really driven
by two aspects. One was that there was probably a
high level of apathy in the early stages. That probably
changed a bit with us arguing the no case. So
on the number of people who actually voted. In terms
(19:24):
of the ninety million years, that was a substantial vote,
and so that really challenged you that people got engaged
during that process. I think the second part was just
this ever ending threat of the bank stepping in on
the nineteenth of December, because it just created a cloud
(19:45):
of saying, well, what are the options if this happened.
My view has always been that the banks wouldn't have
stepped in on the nineteenk close a plant down six
days before Christmas in the start of the peak season
would have been a mechanism to work through the season
for the seasonal finance. We would have felt comfortable about
(20:07):
being able to meet a bulk of the debt in
some of the equity by the nineteenth. So on that basis,
you know, farmies just going to have to accept that
they have lost from seventy percent equity down to forty
percent under the current regime. You know, this board needs
to really reflect why did the company get itself into
this position in the first place. And that's probably the
(20:30):
biggest frustration as we watched the last come up in
New Zealand meat industry disappear. The reality is this was
reflected directly on the way that board and the management
have operated over the last probably five years.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Jeff, do you have a concern this can be seen
as nothing more than a short term sugar fix.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Look, if you were looking around the world and saying
where would be a compatible person or company to be
involved in the New Zealand meat industry and fairness, dorm
Meats will be in that top five. So in terms
of company being in the Northern Hemisphere, higher and beef,
lower and land is a mix with the Alliance group.
(21:14):
But I just you know, the frustration I've got is
this didn't need to happen.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Do you think the Alliance Sport has been pretty transparent
through this process because a lot of people have been
cynical about it.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
No, no, they haven't at all. And I don't think
that in terms of the exploring the options, I think
the board found itself somewhat stuck by the fact it
was under some pressure with the banks. I mean, this
is like a farmer, you know, just ignoring his bank
for a long time and then suddenly the bank says
to you, look mate, if you can't sort out your finances,
(21:48):
we're going to shut you up to allow you know,
a co op or a company to get to that position.
It just makes you really wonder.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
So is it a case of the questioning starts now.
Regarding the line sport, perhaps.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
Look, I think it will be a study of university
business management courses for some years to come. This would
be one of the saddest outcomes of a New Zealand
owned enterprise ending up in the hands of somebody else,
and when it probably had the opportunity of not having
(22:22):
to go down that track.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You talked about over capacity before, it's still something that
needs to address in the red meat sector.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
All of this questions well venus. This question has been
in front of the industry for about twenty five years,
so it's increasingly becoming a problem. I think over capacity
will continue for another few years. The question would be
is there going to be some consolidation or is there
just going to be companies closing. That's you get to
(22:53):
play out. I can't product what we're going to see,
but I would say, especially the numbers, the way that
the climbing, especially in cheap meat, I think you're going
to see a better I'll tick with beef over the
next three to five years, but on sheet meat, I
don't see a plateau coming forward some time.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
The Northern Southlam Farmer's counterproposal to alliance. Do you think
it was a case of too little, too late.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, Look, there were two difficulties in that. One is
that I think if ball Meats and the Alliance Group
proposal have been fifty to fifty with an injection of
capital over three years, or say twenty five million from shareholders,
I don't think we would have had a debate. It
was just the fact that it was sixty five percent.
(23:41):
Could there have been an argument that some eighteen months
ago that the recapitalization, Well, the reality was it was
in the hands of the book to find a suitable partner.
And I don't think anybody felt that the original capital
raised with the shareholders has done anything other than poorly timed,
(24:03):
poorly organized, and done with some arrogance in terms of
just lopping off you without really a good explanation as
to the need and desire for the strategy of the
company going forward. So for that reason, I'd fully understand
why shoholders initially didn't put money in it at the
worst time. We have sold a company at the worst
time it's history in terms of debt that has completely
(24:27):
turned around in the last twelve months and its projections
going forward to much more stronger than they did twelve
months ago.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
So you believe there would have been another option on
the table if this had been a no voter but
not a bailout. But the banks would have been forgiving
to a degree.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
No, no, the banks wouldn't have been forgiving. And the
wye Ey group had effectively had two leaders of intent,
one involved at some equity, the other involved the rationalization
in terms of debt and then the ability for farmers
to capitalize the something over a period of time. I
would have to say through the the great work of
(25:05):
Mark Gunton, who's got obviously good stretch out into the
international market through his own business. Clearly those two letters
of intent which were given to the chairman of Alliance
Crew Glass Friday were ones that genuinely would have given
us a solution.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I suppose the issue with third party though, is just
going to hang around and of nothing else, just game
more momentum as red meat becomes a premium product and
supplies at a minimum too.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
Yeah, look, I think the short term future of the
re meat industry is pretty good. You know, would possibly
have to thank mister Trump to a certain extent on
the b side, with tariffs extended, just distorting the market
and on that basis, I think we'll see some strong
pricing over the next twelve twenty four months. But you know,
(25:53):
like allways in the meat industry, when you're up, you
go down.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Jeff Grant always appreciate your time on the Master.
Speaker 5 (25:59):
Cheers.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Wow, thanks to Abby Rural. We catch up the great
Disaster McMaster, and we do so again this afternoon. Disaster.
Good afternoon. It sounds as are up in the basin
and looking to you almost need to have your flippers on.
Speaker 7 (26:20):
Yeah, it doesn't rain, it just paused. So good afternoon, Andy,
Good after everybody. The weather's turned to shite and haven't
stopped raining since about six o'clock yesterday morning. And that
time we've had was when I left this morning at
eight o'clock seventy five mils so. And it's still it's
eased off a little bit. It's the teenage six degrees.
(26:41):
A lot of snow went around yet well it's hard
to see because it was just cragged in, but there
was snow went around yesterday afternoon and it was gone
this morning with more rain. So yeah, I've been over
our town at the Hill's block there this morning, the
flats along Home and gully road or a wash with water.
I think that's more a drainage problem that the council
(27:03):
have with subdeveloped developments going in and we're nowhere for
the water people putting up burms and you know, water
not being able to get down into the over your
gravel and what have you. But you fit of water
on the flats there but nine degrees in ourtown and
the rain at east and it was a little bit fend,
a little bit warmer. But looking around over there, as
(27:25):
mentioned before, the two d jeries is about one hundred
and forty of them lambing over there. Picked up a
dead you and one dead lamb this morning, So that
was all right. And I'm just out at Moat Lake
now and it's you know, the road is coming into
Moat Lake and just by Lake Kirkpatrick, it's on a
bit of a fall. It's just absolutely gorged out, so
(27:45):
gouged out, I should say, and a lot of surface water.
And again the Bloody Hills is just waterfalls from places
I haven't seen andy. So that's today, and I don't
think the forecast is much better for Thursday. Yeah, they're trying.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Times compared to last year. Grant, what's alike is a
very similar.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Similar but but we've had more rain man over a
slightly longer period, and it doesn't look as it's going
to ease, you know, the end of this week either.
So it's yeah, it's it's very green at the moment,
and if it does stop raining and we get a
bit of heat, I'm sure we're going to be in
a good position as long as all the lambs don't
get washed away in the meantime. But just coming through
(28:28):
the road this morning, and I haven't seen too many
dead lambs, and sent a couple up in the bushes,
but there's other lambs around them, so I just carry
on and when it flies up tomorrow or the next
day and they're lying in the sun, hopefully I'll pick
them up. But yeah, at this stage, I think that
the lambing has been a bit well, it's been a
(28:49):
bit slower, which hasn't been sa bad. I guess it's
it's an ill wind that blows no good. But yeah,
it's there's I'm reasonably happy the way things are looking.
I thought it might have been a lot worse than
it is, so quite pleased about that. But if it's
not raining any time at life of.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Course you're right in the middle of Lambing at the
moment too, so it's less than ideal.
Speaker 7 (29:10):
No, And you know, carving still full bore as well.
And yesterday while that rain was just constant, it didn't
have a there was no window. That wasn't such a
chill factor like you get with the wind. Mind do
I say that because I was sitting inside in front
of the log burn in the afternoon. But it was
you know, it wasn't it wasn't windy, and it wasn't
(29:33):
a cold wind. So just just that continual rain, which
is sort of the less of the evils bit of
wind during the night. But then I thought, I like
it might have blown through, but then raining again this morning,
so and continue continuing to do it now and as
I say, it's down to six degrees here at the moment.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Now you've had a couple of instances around Lambing with
members of the public or tourists. I don't know, you've
got a bit of a story to tell around this disaster.
I'm sure it'd be pretty much a doozy as well.
Speaker 7 (30:00):
Well, you know, we can't be all doom and gloom.
You know, dogs are killing bloody sheep and the rains here.
But you know, there's always the silver lining, isn't there,
And that's what lives about. You just got to keep going.
But I got to call the other night to say
a bloke said that he was coming out of Moat
Lake and there was a you that was down by
a fence line next to the road, and it had
(30:22):
a couple of lambs that were a bit sickly, and
he tried to give one on my feet and so
I said, I'm right, I'll be around there in the
morning and i'll sort that out because it was dark.
So I come over in the morning and I just
was coming up towards the area and this guy stops
in the car. He saw you, the manager, and I said, yes,
I am. I said, you're the guy that's He said sorry,
(30:44):
he said, I'm the one that's been pestering about that sheep.
And I said, no, hope, good on, you know, thanks
very much. And anyway, he said, well, he said, I've
been there this morning. The lamb, he said, I gave it.
I tried to give it a drink last night and
come after you obviously, and he should have any this morning.
I got there early, and he said it was quite cold,
he said, So I've had it in my car for
(31:05):
the last hour with the heater on. I said, thanks
very much, sure that there's much appreciated. Oh, I can
take over from here, which I did. So I thought,
you know, you know, the public, you can't. Sometimes you think, gee,
I wish I just just sort of mind their own business.
But you know that most people are animal lovers and
they see the best and everything. And you know, I
(31:27):
said to this guy, well you've done really well, Thanks
very much. So I thought, you know, people are you know,
for a lot of a lot of reasons. You know,
there's people that come out. They are very you know,
they want to see the best and everything and nature
is you know, does its own thing, and they're there
to help and they think they are a great job
and sometimes they don't. But you can't knock them forward,
(31:48):
and you've got to thank them and be grateful.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
I guess facts in the rural urban divide one day
at a time. Hey, Grant, just finally, what are your
thoughts around this alliance? The alliance deal that is now
was doing well.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
I think it was a sort of a form of
long conclusion. Really, I mean that there's all the facts
and the figures we've heard. There's there's nothing new that
we don't know about the about the meat industry. So
you know, their debt, their debt service and with the banks,
you know, it comes back to over capacity and the
meat works. You got to say poor management along the way,
(32:21):
you know, procurement, wars, marketing, all of that. You know,
there's you know, there's been recessions and what have you.
But at the end of the day, we need to
sell our meet. And I you know, I thought it
was a good effort from those that that group of
farmers that thought they could get something going. But I guess,
you know, eight eight percent people wanted wanted to sale
(32:44):
to go. I think the fact is, you know that
the debt loading is is is incredible, and you know
we need to we need to be able to get
on and and supply the lands and farmers not having
to be putting in their in their pockets, and you know,
we we need good management to make sure this happens.
And I just I just hope the fact that you know,
well we've got you know, we've got you know, the
(33:08):
Chinese and with silver fir and farms and Japanese NSCO.
So we've got the paddies and with us now and
I guess you know that, but I think it could
be a right of the fact that you know, if
we can kill here off season to the to the
northern hemisphere, and perhaps that opens up markets for you know,
(33:28):
getting meat into the into the EU and eas into
the UK practs. But you know, the farmers have spoken
and it's not as it was a tight run thing.
I think people just had a you know, guts full
of everything that's happening. And let's hope that the new
broom sweets clean.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Wise words is always grand. All the best of the
weather up there. Here's hoping you get some sunshine and
some when to dry things out sooner than later.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Hey yeah, I just put the flippers and the goggles
on the snorker and I was just going to kick
the news pagady.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Doan Morrison starts us off this this afternoon on the
muster Willow Bank Farmer and Alliance board director. How we
good afternoon, how things o Killy?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
And you've given me another good leading with some Dave
dobbin and d D smash. That's a great sound.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
I seriously contemplated giving you Jefferson Starships just so you
can tell your story for Lucky once again.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
We've heard that. Enough time go to some day Dobin story,
shall we? So HC is playing Ripe and Monica in March,
which would be well worth going and seeing that comfort.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
No, absolutely, when you get these concerts come around, how
you can't really knock them back, just like the proposal
with Dawn Meets wasn't knocked back overwhelming vote in favor
of Dawn Meats getting involved with Alliance. I suppose initially
for twenty four hours on from your perspective, it's probably
one of relief that this has gone through, right.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I think it's it's probably recognition of a lot of
hard work done by a lot of people a in
you know, the whole process of putting the best deal
forward for what we needed to do, and then in
delivering the message with twenty four road shows to all
our shareholders, you know, virtual weabinears. There's a whole lot
of work from some really really good people going behind that.
(35:23):
And I think what we saw through the whole thing
was incredible leadership from Billy Visa and our CEO and
Mark one tier of the board. I think it was
some outstanding leadership to the galvanized people and galvanize the message.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah, it's interesting to bring that up. How he's saying
the leadership's galvanize the message. But the argument offer is
that the leadership hasn't been there over the last five,
six seven years with the organization.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Look, we've been pretty strong in the in the messaging
that we've been putting out. More recently, we had a
we had a bit of a change of regime on
the on the board and the tier, and we just
said we would be more transparent. We know we weren't
as transparent as we needed to be, and cheerholders needed
to understand where we were and where we're going and.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Why we are where we are.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
So certainly that last two years we believe we've been
really transparent. You know, it's interesting, Andy's people. We have
brief bites. We have roadshows where webinears to some people
that don't go or look at any of them and
then say, how you're not communicating, so I will throw
it back. There's a bit of responsibility on both sides.
We've got to give opportunity to get the message out
(36:30):
and people have got to take that opportunity to learn
where we are.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
But the messaging on the other foot as well, how
we going to these meetings and listening to farmers was
one of frustration too.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
And as come again, Andy, you were saying the message
from farmers was frustration.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Yeah, absolutely, listening to farmers at the meeting and Gorse
saying this option had to go through because they were
just frustrated from the leadership angle over the last five
to six seven years. And obviously it wasn't Mark or
Willy's problem, but they inherited it.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Oh look, I don't think you can blame any one
particular regime, but what it is is that it's it's
previous and success of boards decisions that have made or
weren't made. I mean, we can we can analyze them
in Hindsight's great, we've all got twenty twenty vision on hindsight.
And you know, looking back, there was certainly clear that
we as a board, we we didn't have a mechanism
(37:19):
to capitalize our balance sheet and the two ways you
do that and you do that through retained earnings through profits,
and with a twenty million dollar it would profit over
the over the last ten years from a company with
a two billion dollar plus turnover, but with similar levels
of capis going out, there was not a chance to
(37:40):
do that through retained earnings. And your only other mechanism
is through shareholders investing, and two things I think historically,
you know, shareholders have been more interested in schedule and
competitive pricing, and you know there's been a lot of
criticism that we weren't there. So it's so I think
market share would have been very vulnerable if you tried
(38:00):
to take funds off your shareholders, and certainly in the
last process with Canvas, we tried and the message was
how we would prefer to put that money back into
our farms, and that was a clean message we got.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
So what changes for the Alliance Group after yesterday's announcement?
Speaker 3 (38:19):
So Alliance carries on as Alliance, albeit with a different ownership.
But what you've got is a well, for a start,
we've got a strong balance sheet which allows us to
invest and operate in a way that we believe we
can be far more, far stronger on pricing because we're
going to be able citizens to get stronger prices in
(38:40):
the market, going to different channels and operating in a
different way. So that's the important But and not beholding
to that working capital limit that was there from the bank,
but certainly it is a bigger better company now, Andy,
with that Door Meat partnership, with access to fifty two
weeks for grass bead animals, supply, new access into markets
(39:05):
that we went as strong, and access with their joint
Ventorshire partner door meets and markets that we are really strong,
and a lot of knowledge to be gained from their
operation around processing efficiencies that we can learn from them
and they can learn from us. So I would say
it's actually a really exciting time as a farmer supplier
(39:26):
to be looking to supply your animals to Alliance over
these next years, and particularly when we're in probably one
of the strongest supply markets that we've we've ever been
in with their with their pricing at the moment.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Now you're hearing that Irish farmers who supplied dawn meats
aren't that chucked about this going through and you can
understand that as well.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Andy, I think you really when you say something like that,
you've got to understand the scale of any criticism. Is
it one farmer, is it two farmers? You know we've
seen through them.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Let's just UK farming on a HOLDERU at the moment
got the red Tractor movement free example, being very parochial
towards Iran considering the situation through Europe and the EU.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, I mean they've got they got a
very strong butcal lobby groups over there. But I think
to say that, I think you just said that our
Irish farmers went happy or something to that effect, I
think that would be an absolute minority. And I think
the media always has the capability to sensationalize, and we've
seen this through this whole process. When there was an
(40:27):
alternate view to what we were proposing, it gets a
lot of media time, you know, it doesn't as you
saw that only reflected twelve percent of our suppliers, but
it was getting proportional media time to those that were
you know, we had eighty eight percent of the supply
that wanted Yes, So I think you've often got to
be careful with some of the statements that come out
in the media.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, but it's an opportunity for messaging to get out
there as well too.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Though.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
It's an opportunity for messaging to get out there, but
media will often try and sensationalize, which yeah, is fine.
That you. That's so you sell it time on newspapers,
but I think there's a responsibility to also project the
majority feeling and and and reflect that view to Andy.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Niall Brown, the boss of Dawn meets down in the
South yesterday. How was he received by the farmers that
met him?
Speaker 3 (41:17):
I think very well and really genuine guy, grassroots guy,
great manner. But look, that's that's going to be Nile's
one of his roles will be to get out and
meet out farmers. And very early days, yet he was
obviously down for the vote and look there was no
there was no Jimmy there was there was no heads
(41:38):
up on what it was going to be. But obviously
he would want to be there when you're when you're
looking at making that big an investment, you want to
be there to support whatever the decision was.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
So as far as over capacity, what did he have
to say about that, giving it's an issue, Well, look.
Speaker 3 (41:54):
That's not It's an issue that faces the industry and
right now it's we will we've clearly rationalized alliance for
closing Smithfield to address our capacity and our catchment, and
we actually think we're really well provisioned. So I can't
comment on. You know what that's going to look like
for other companies, but there is sometimes you do have
(42:17):
to take that responsibility and take the initiative and if
it's the right thing to do, you've got to be
prepared to do it. So that I imagine we will
see some more closures of plants, whether it's some in
this immediate here, but certainly that will be required.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
What's not a harder strange Don Morrison, Alliance Boort director
and a farmer at willow Bank. Remembering it's a long weekend,
so we'll be back Tuesday at one o'clock. My name
is Andy Muller. This has been, of course the best
of the muster. We do appreciate your company. Wrap up
war go Atago
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