April 14, 2026 • 6 mins
Jason Herrick says it is important that farmers check up on each other when uncertain times are happening.
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Jason Herrick his self Confederated Farmer's President and joins us.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Andy, Thanks for having.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Me tell you what Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It's a bit of uncertainty out there when you talk
about the situation with fuel, fertilizer and plastics as well,
which comes into the equation. Is somewhat flowing under the radar.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, no too right there, Andy. There's a lot of
uncertainty for sure, especially around the cross of fuel security
of it on farm as well, but also what the
future is going to behold because everything we do and
everything we supply and buy a fuels attached to it, right,
so it has a flow on effect and brought your
(00:54):
starting to see prices rise across the board now, so
you know the cost of living is going to go up,
to production is going to go up, you know. So
there is there's a lot of uncertainty and a lot
of anxiety out there at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's a fertilizer what are you hearing their forward orders?
Are people still able to do it?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Not sure at this point in time. All I know
after hearing from Ravens down and balances. We do have
six months of bifertilizer already in the country, so panic
buying and storing up is only going to create another issue.
So my advice to farmers is just to carry on
as normal. And I know people are trying to buy
(01:33):
fertilizer at the cheaper price right now. But you know,
if people are stockpiling fertilizer and nitrogen, then that the
people that don't have the ability to stockpile it will
end up missing out, you know, when we've got enough
here till after spring. From what I from what I understand,
the same happened with the fuel. You know, we're helping
near fuel in the country, and because people started to
(01:56):
go on stockpile when it was at its cheapest, cheaper rate,
the fuel companies can and keep up with deliveries and
so on. Therefore it looked like there was fuel shortages happening.
It just happens that they just weren't keeping up with
the demand because of the extra spike. So it's creating
that false narrative there that there is a shortage, you know.
So we've just got to be very careful on how
(02:16):
we go about doing this, or work together or communicate
and just just go and ask your local reps what
the situation is and they'll fill you in.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
There's a lot going on at the moment about having
on too much, but the same type acknowledging that it
can be trying for a lot of farmers out there.
Are you hearing of people who are just trying to
make things work? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
So, I mean mental health is a really fickle thing,
like it can sneak up on you in any type
of anxiety contributes to mental health issues, and you know,
in the next way, while there's going to be a
lot of anxiety and mental health built up, there's no
two ways about it. Whether you want to admit it
or not. It sneaks up and bot you in the
bum when at least expect it, you know. So just
(02:56):
watch out for everybody out there, and keep an eye
on your neighbor, keep a eye on your friends and
your mates, and just yeah they keep talking because talking. Actually,
you know, a problem shared is a problem halved. So
that that's my advice to everybody. Just pick you for
and yeah talk.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And of course the South the Royal Support Trust and
likes doing a great job. If anybody needs to get
in touch now regarding the price of fuel, though, this
is nothing more than gouging at the pump, surely.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, look, hey, look, I can't agree with you more.
I'm pretty certain there's a lot of price casing going
on there. If you look at the last time fuel
went up because of issues around the world, price per
barrel of oil got to one hundred and twenty dollars
a barrel. Well, there's nowhere near that. But last time
fuel was cheaper, and there's something going on within the
within the diesel supply why the price is where it is.
(03:46):
And if you take road user charges into account, with
an average one hundred one hundred case per letter, you're
talking but sorry, what is it? One hundred case per
ten leaders, you're talking about seventy cents are a fuel,
So you know, put that on the price of easil
at the moment you're talking forward to was fifty a leter.
That's getting ridiculous to the point where it's almost unsustainable
(04:09):
going forward. So you know, I would put the question
to all your local MPs and then fast and home
until the coals come home, basically and ask the question
why is priced so high? Why are they not pressurreizing
the fuel companies and saying why why are we at
this level when the last time it went up to
this rate, fuel oil prices were a lot higher per
(04:32):
barrel than what they are now. So yeah, I believe
there is a bit of price gauging going on.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Well, the flip side of the coin to be fear
as gouging versus supply and demand.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
You've got a product, people want.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
It, Yeah. I mean diesel in particular is a necessity, right,
and I think it's been unfairly targeted because you know,
we need diesel for our heavy trade attractors are tracks
and so forth for freight and getting around. That sort
of stuff can't stop so that the supply is going
to be needed going forward. You can't just say oh,
I'm not going to fill the truck today and then the
(05:04):
goods don't get delivered and your business fail. So you know,
diesel is a very solid commodity that we need every
day and to keep the whole economy functioning. So we're
just gonna to watch this funk closely, I think, any
and see where it ends up. But I think we
need to be putting the pressure on our local MP's
(05:25):
as much as possible to come up with clear concise
answers as to why the prices where it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Is now the Good District Council and these district district
plans that everybody have been talking about lately, what's the
latest there.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
A lock we've gone through the appeal process. It's just
closed off where people have the ability or anybody has
the ability to jump on the back of the appeals
that have been lodged and now it's just a waiting
game to wait back till we get back for them
from a cord as to they're outlining the process going forward.
Obviously the next phase would be mediation and hoping to
(06:00):
sit down with the other parties and go through mediation.
None of the other parties have approached us to talk
through you know what, why we've appealed and which is
rather interesting to be honest, But we'll see where that
goes into the future. And I see right around the
country now people are starting to look a lot harder
at councils as to what's involved in their own plans
(06:21):
and so forth, So you know, what's the space. We'll
just go through the process now and in a wait
for the outcome from the Environment Corps.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Good only Jason, enjoy the OVO.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You're welcome to Thanks anything, everyone.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Jason here a president of South Confederative Farmers.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Michael writes up next, this is the muster
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Jason Herrick his self Confederated Farmer's President and joins us.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Andy, Thanks for having.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Me tell you what Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It's a bit of uncertainty out there when you talk
about the situation with fuel, fertilizer and plastics as well,
which comes into the equation. Is somewhat flowing under the radar.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, no too right there, Andy. There's a lot of
uncertainty for sure, especially around the cross of fuel security
of it on farm as well, but also what the
future is going to behold because everything we do and
everything we supply and buy a fuels attached to it, right,
so it has a flow on effect and brought your
(00:54):
starting to see prices rise across the board now, so
you know the cost of living is going to go up,
to production is going to go up, you know. So
there is there's a lot of uncertainty and a lot
of anxiety out there at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's a fertilizer what are you hearing their forward orders?
Are people still able to do it?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Not sure at this point in time. All I know
after hearing from Ravens down and balances. We do have
six months of bifertilizer already in the country, so panic
buying and storing up is only going to create another issue.
So my advice to farmers is just to carry on
as normal. And I know people are trying to buy
(01:33):
fertilizer at the cheaper price right now. But you know,
if people are stockpiling fertilizer and nitrogen, then that the
people that don't have the ability to stockpile it will
end up missing out, you know, when we've got enough
here till after spring. From what I from what I understand,
the same happened with the fuel. You know, we're helping
near fuel in the country, and because people started to
(01:56):
go on stockpile when it was at its cheapest, cheaper rate,
the fuel companies can and keep up with deliveries and
so on. Therefore it looked like there was fuel shortages happening.
It just happens that they just weren't keeping up with
the demand because of the extra spike. So it's creating
that false narrative there that there is a shortage, you know.
So we've just got to be very careful on how
(02:16):
we go about doing this, or work together or communicate
and just just go and ask your local reps what
the situation is and they'll fill you in.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
There's a lot going on at the moment about having
on too much, but the same type acknowledging that it
can be trying for a lot of farmers out there.
Are you hearing of people who are just trying to
make things work? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
So, I mean mental health is a really fickle thing,
like it can sneak up on you in any type
of anxiety contributes to mental health issues, and you know,
in the next way, while there's going to be a
lot of anxiety and mental health built up, there's no
two ways about it. Whether you want to admit it
or not. It sneaks up and bot you in the
bum when at least expect it, you know. So just
(02:56):
watch out for everybody out there, and keep an eye
on your neighbor, keep a eye on your friends and
your mates, and just yeah they keep talking because talking. Actually,
you know, a problem shared is a problem halved. So
that that's my advice to everybody. Just pick you for
and yeah talk.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And of course the South the Royal Support Trust and
likes doing a great job. If anybody needs to get
in touch now regarding the price of fuel, though, this
is nothing more than gouging at the pump, surely.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, look, hey, look, I can't agree with you more.
I'm pretty certain there's a lot of price casing going
on there. If you look at the last time fuel
went up because of issues around the world, price per
barrel of oil got to one hundred and twenty dollars
a barrel. Well, there's nowhere near that. But last time
fuel was cheaper, and there's something going on within the
within the diesel supply why the price is where it is.
(03:46):
And if you take road user charges into account, with
an average one hundred one hundred case per letter, you're
talking but sorry, what is it? One hundred case per
ten leaders, you're talking about seventy cents are a fuel,
So you know, put that on the price of easil
at the moment you're talking forward to was fifty a leter.
That's getting ridiculous to the point where it's almost unsustainable
(04:09):
going forward. So you know, I would put the question
to all your local MPs and then fast and home
until the coals come home, basically and ask the question
why is priced so high? Why are they not pressurreizing
the fuel companies and saying why why are we at
this level when the last time it went up to
this rate, fuel oil prices were a lot higher per
(04:32):
barrel than what they are now. So yeah, I believe
there is a bit of price gauging going on.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Well, the flip side of the coin to be fear
as gouging versus supply and demand.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
You've got a product, people want.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
It, Yeah. I mean diesel in particular is a necessity, right,
and I think it's been unfairly targeted because you know,
we need diesel for our heavy trade attractors are tracks
and so forth for freight and getting around. That sort
of stuff can't stop so that the supply is going
to be needed going forward. You can't just say oh,
I'm not going to fill the truck today and then the
(05:04):
goods don't get delivered and your business fail. So you know,
diesel is a very solid commodity that we need every
day and to keep the whole economy functioning. So we're
just gonna to watch this funk closely, I think, any
and see where it ends up. But I think we
need to be putting the pressure on our local MP's
(05:25):
as much as possible to come up with clear concise
answers as to why the prices where it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Is now the Good District Council and these district district
plans that everybody have been talking about lately, what's the
latest there.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
A lock we've gone through the appeal process. It's just
closed off where people have the ability or anybody has
the ability to jump on the back of the appeals
that have been lodged and now it's just a waiting
game to wait back till we get back for them
from a cord as to they're outlining the process going forward.
Obviously the next phase would be mediation and hoping to
(06:00):
sit down with the other parties and go through mediation.
None of the other parties have approached us to talk
through you know what, why we've appealed and which is
rather interesting to be honest, But we'll see where that
goes into the future. And I see right around the
country now people are starting to look a lot harder
at councils as to what's involved in their own plans
(06:21):
and so forth, So you know, what's the space. We'll
just go through the process now and in a wait
for the outcome from the Environment Corps.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Good only Jason, enjoy the OVO.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You're welcome to Thanks anything, everyone.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Jason here a president of South Confederative Farmers.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Michael writes up next, this is the muster
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