December 18, 2025 • 10 mins
Jamie looks back at a positive year for farming in New Zealand.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I love Christmas. Sal Jamie McKay, host of the Country
joins us and the Country Crossover Billy Matt Christmas is
all around Love actually one of the goats of the
Christmas movie scene. Jamie, Oh, my.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Favorite Christmas movie. I think Love actually got a stellar cast.
And I love Billy Mack. He is so good. He
is so good. Great song, great choice to go out
or to send off twenty twenty five, Andy, for the
last day for the two of us. Wasn't like that
when we were farmers?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
No, absolutely not normally. No, you're busy on the handpiece
and stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well, the backpackers you used to call it, And I
don't know what we were called, the Koweika hackers. I
think was our crutching gang. And we were going flat
out on the lead into Christmas, because, as you know, Andy,
every lamb you crutch before Christmas, there's a hell of
a lot easy than the ones should crutch after Christmas
because they get a few more DAGs on them.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Your Dean Rabbage finish sharing his lambs yesterday, doing them
pre Christmas. He thought he'd give it a whirl.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, Well, it's totally I'd imagine management thing that because
you're not going to get much wool off in this
time of the year. So I suppose if you're paying crutches,
you pay them a bit more, get the feathers off them,
and away you go. Although I noted that I was
looking at the PGG Rights and Wall report this morning,
the wall market has lifted again. It's got a long
way to go. But in the nineteen eighties we were
(01:32):
getting five dollars a kilogram for youth fleece, up up
to six dollars a kilogram. It's one stage for hogod
and lamb war. You know, when you take the hyperinflation
we've had since then, we're a long way off the pace.
I'm fine to saying Andy that everything should be ten bucks.
The deer farmers mightn't agree agree with me with venison,
but even lamb, beef, milk and wool were all ten bucks,
(01:58):
it would be happy days.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
As a canon. Kais are worth ten.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Bucks probably, and I'm understanding that you're on the cage
and you want some. I don't know if they're ten bucks.
They're three thirties this year. Last year they were the
big ones. You know, what were they five five hundred MILLAI? Anyhow,
now look it's a good brew. I I you know,
hand on heart. I haven't had a can of machaisa yet.
(02:21):
The only makais are of consumed is that the christ Show.
And of course at a suttin storm shout at Nigel Woodford's,
which I know you were there, Woodhead, Woodhead, Woodhead. Where
did I get Woodford?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Nigel?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yes, they are a good Mosman family. Indeed, hey, so
at Nigel's place, Nigel and Lean's. And that was one
of the real highlights for me. And in twenty twenty
five was just the generosity of Emersons and Spades and
obviously silver Fern Farms and everyone who contributed to that
day that day, you know, Mainland Minerals, Sergeant Dan, the
(02:58):
whole lot, whoever was involved than all that day. But
I'm just thinking it was just a good day out
for farmers.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, special shout out to Burray, Kober and the Mainland
Minerals shouting the chops for the day. I wasn't aware
of that till the day of the event.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
No, he's been around the traps for a long time now,
Murray and you know the good company Mainland Minerals. Yeah,
he just quietly turned up and provided all the chops.
So good on him. It was bloody great.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, he's a great sponsor of Hokkanui as well. Good
on your Murray. So you look back at the year
that's been the AGG Person of the Year, it's always
a contentious issue or not contentious. But everybody's got a
different spin on it.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yes they have, and I can't tell you mine yet,
even though I will have told it on my show
because Andy, this is a pre record and my AG
Person of the Year is going down to the wire
quite literally to the wire. But it's all the usual suspects,
so the folks would have heard my AG person of
the Year between twelve and one.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Who is yours? I'm thinking a bit off the spectrum here.
I'm going for Catherine Wright, whose accounts based out of Fieldland, Basin.
She's been doing work around rural mental health. She did
a PhD regarding the effects of ural mental health and
young farming people. And she's also just put a paper
out or doing a survey recently regarding how land juice
(04:15):
change affixes effects rural connections. And Catherine very much has
been doing this work for a couple of years now,
and I really like the way she goes about things.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, good on you, and that's a good local agg
Person of the Year as well. But I thought you
might have nominated Jeff Heaps.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Jeff Heaps, geez, he could just about me up there.
He's like less listener for the last thirty two years
of hocken New He got good on you, Jeff. He
came up there and had a yarm of myself and
Trina used today. Brought a few chocolate things for Christmas. Jeff.
We always appreciate your feedback. But always getting emails. He's
keeping me, he's making sure her fingers are on the pulse. Jamie.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Oh no, he's a great bloke and forth those thirty
two years he's been. We get daily emails from him.
You're copied in on those now. And he always he's
always got I don't know how much time he spends
trawling than that, but he's always digging up interesting facts
and figures. Loves his music, loves the Eagles. But he's
just often a source of information and he'll send me
(05:12):
or you or Michelle at an email and there'll be
a link to some interesting stories somewhere around the world.
And it often leads to an interview. So no, Jeff,
you're an absolute champion bloke, have been since day one
and we did send him Symbchaiza even if you missed out, Andy.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah, I know, food chain, right chain. Look, Winston petersn't
this talk about him going with labor if he's a
change in leadership. We've talked about this before. Is it
just another media beat up or do you think he
could be something to this?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Well, supposedly he's making an announcement today and as we said,
because of the technical demands of getting the Pony Express
from Dunedin to Gore, this is a pre record, so
it's like our nine point thirty in the morning Andy,
as we record this. My understanding is he's coming out today,
Whether it happens before this goes to her, I don't know,
(06:05):
and making a definitive statement or over the weekend about
whether he would consider going with Labor. Look if you
listen to his closing speech in Parliament, which was an
absolute cracker man oh man, did he gets stuck into
Labor and especially to party Maori and the Greens. I mean,
he hasn't got a great track record of being in government.
(06:28):
He always gets kicked out after one term. But I
like Winston and I like Shane, but I'd never forgive
him if he went with Labor, especially with Chippy, because
he said he's not going to go with Chris Sipkins.
And I will give Chris Sipkins a due here. Whether
he's sleep walking to victory, I don't know, but certainly
Labor is doing well under his leadership. I think Luxeon's
(06:50):
on the improved, he's on the rise. He had a
very good speech in Parliament as well. But Chris Hipkins
has done a very good job since that Petra trouncing
they got in twenty twenty three of keeping Labour's profile.
Whether it's high or not, I don't know, but he's
kept them to the forefront. Labor's polling really well and
he personally is polling really well. There's no danger at
(07:12):
all of Chris Hipkins not being the Labor or not
leading Labor into the next election, just as there is
no danger at all despite the Chris Bishop talk of
Luxeon being rolled. It won't happen. It'll be Luckson versus
Hipkins and the side players and New Zealand First and
Act versus to Party Maury and the Greens, and I
(07:34):
think that's where the election will be won and lost.
New Zealand First and ACT are a much more creditable
coalition partner than to Party Maray or the Greens.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, i'd agree with you on that and the other
thing too. Mark Patterson doing a lot of great work
this year. We can't underestimate what Mark's done. He's had
a pretty good twelve months. But going into woolsheds and
looking people in the eye knowing that he's gone with
the Left after everything that's gone on.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I don't think. Yeah, Mark Patterson would probably resign. I
agree with you. He's kind of a quiet achiever, Mark Patterson,
and he's doing a lot of the good rural work
for New Zealand. First, there's some good rural MPs in
parliament now. The NAT's brought in five or six of them,
including our old mate Grant mcnational in the last election.
(08:17):
And you think of Mark Patterson for New Zealand first,
and then you think of Mark Cameron, who's basically on
his death bed waiting for a kidney transplant. The ACT
guy and Andrew Hoggart, of course, who's straight straight into
Parliament as a minister, and we rarely do, and our
current crop of politicians have some really good rural farmer MPs.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Good on you, Jamie. Just before we wrap up as well,
So what is your holiday entail? Pretty much just golf
every day.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Oh no, to drive me batty. That's why I can't retire, Andy,
I'm not good enough would drive me batty playing every day. Look,
I hope to get down to Riversdale ten to my
beloved wetland and duck Pond. Got lots of trees to
fuss so I just about know the name of every
tree down there, Andy. So I want to get down
to Riversdale. I want to tour around south and have
a look at the old dairy farming interests down there.
(09:10):
There'll be a trip to Central at some stage, and
then a wedding at Waheki Island and a bit of
time with family and twanga on the way home. But
to be perfectly honest with you, Andy, I'm a big
fan of staycationst and Eden's a wonderful city over the
Christmas break because everyone leaves it and you've got it
all to yourself. But yeah, lots of golf, most of
(09:31):
it won't be much good a few bears, a bit
of exercise and just on behalf of us here at
the Country. I'd like to wish you Andy, you've done
a great job on the muster and all your listeners,
because I know you've got heaps. Merry Christmas, are safe
and happy Christmas and a prosperous new farming here.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Good only Jamie and Beckett. You guys up there in
the country always enjoyed our chats and make sure you
drop that grog off next week.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah, I'll do my best. See I hope it doesn't
get lost, answered.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Jamie McKay and the Country Crossover. Up next, we catch
up with Morgan Green from Northern Southland Vetts sp
I love Christmas. Sal Jamie McKay, host of the Country
joins us and the Country Crossover Billy Matt Christmas is
all around Love actually one of the goats of the
Christmas movie scene. Jamie, Oh, my.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Favorite Christmas movie. I think Love actually got a stellar cast.
And I love Billy Mack. He is so good. He
is so good. Great song, great choice to go out
or to send off twenty twenty five, Andy, for the
last day for the two of us. Wasn't like that
when we were farmers?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
No, absolutely not normally. No, you're busy on the handpiece
and stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well, the backpackers you used to call it, And I
don't know what we were called, the Koweika hackers. I
think was our crutching gang. And we were going flat
out on the lead into Christmas, because, as you know, Andy,
every lamb you crutch before Christmas, there's a hell of
a lot easy than the ones should crutch after Christmas
because they get a few more DAGs on them.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Your Dean Rabbage finish sharing his lambs yesterday, doing them
pre Christmas. He thought he'd give it a whirl.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, Well, it's totally I'd imagine management thing that because
you're not going to get much wool off in this
time of the year. So I suppose if you're paying crutches,
you pay them a bit more, get the feathers off them,
and away you go. Although I noted that I was
looking at the PGG Rights and Wall report this morning,
the wall market has lifted again. It's got a long
way to go. But in the nineteen eighties we were
(01:32):
getting five dollars a kilogram for youth fleece, up up
to six dollars a kilogram. It's one stage for hogod
and lamb war. You know, when you take the hyperinflation
we've had since then, we're a long way off the pace.
I'm fine to saying Andy that everything should be ten bucks.
The deer farmers mightn't agree agree with me with venison,
but even lamb, beef, milk and wool were all ten bucks,
(01:58):
it would be happy days.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
As a canon. Kais are worth ten.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Bucks probably, and I'm understanding that you're on the cage
and you want some. I don't know if they're ten bucks.
They're three thirties this year. Last year they were the
big ones. You know, what were they five five hundred MILLAI? Anyhow,
now look it's a good brew. I I you know,
hand on heart. I haven't had a can of machaisa yet.
(02:21):
The only makais are of consumed is that the christ Show.
And of course at a suttin storm shout at Nigel Woodford's,
which I know you were there, Woodhead, Woodhead, Woodhead. Where
did I get Woodford?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Nigel?
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yes, they are a good Mosman family. Indeed, hey, so
at Nigel's place, Nigel and Lean's. And that was one
of the real highlights for me. And in twenty twenty
five was just the generosity of Emersons and Spades and
obviously silver Fern Farms and everyone who contributed to that
day that day, you know, Mainland Minerals, Sergeant Dan, the
(02:58):
whole lot, whoever was involved than all that day. But
I'm just thinking it was just a good day out
for farmers.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, special shout out to Burray, Kober and the Mainland
Minerals shouting the chops for the day. I wasn't aware
of that till the day of the event.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
No, he's been around the traps for a long time now,
Murray and you know the good company Mainland Minerals. Yeah,
he just quietly turned up and provided all the chops.
So good on him. It was bloody great.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, he's a great sponsor of Hokkanui as well. Good
on your Murray. So you look back at the year
that's been the AGG Person of the Year, it's always
a contentious issue or not contentious. But everybody's got a
different spin on it.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yes they have, and I can't tell you mine yet,
even though I will have told it on my show
because Andy, this is a pre record and my AG
Person of the Year is going down to the wire
quite literally to the wire. But it's all the usual suspects,
so the folks would have heard my AG person of
the Year between twelve and one.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Who is yours? I'm thinking a bit off the spectrum here.
I'm going for Catherine Wright, whose accounts based out of Fieldland, Basin.
She's been doing work around rural mental health. She did
a PhD regarding the effects of ural mental health and
young farming people. And she's also just put a paper
out or doing a survey recently regarding how land juice
(04:15):
change affixes effects rural connections. And Catherine very much has
been doing this work for a couple of years now,
and I really like the way she goes about things.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, good on you, and that's a good local agg
Person of the Year as well. But I thought you
might have nominated Jeff Heaps.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Jeff Heaps, geez, he could just about me up there.
He's like less listener for the last thirty two years
of hocken New He got good on you, Jeff. He
came up there and had a yarm of myself and
Trina used today. Brought a few chocolate things for Christmas. Jeff.
We always appreciate your feedback. But always getting emails. He's
keeping me, he's making sure her fingers are on the pulse. Jamie.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Oh no, he's a great bloke and forth those thirty
two years he's been. We get daily emails from him.
You're copied in on those now. And he always he's
always got I don't know how much time he spends
trawling than that, but he's always digging up interesting facts
and figures. Loves his music, loves the Eagles. But he's
just often a source of information and he'll send me
(05:12):
or you or Michelle at an email and there'll be
a link to some interesting stories somewhere around the world.
And it often leads to an interview. So no, Jeff,
you're an absolute champion bloke, have been since day one
and we did send him Symbchaiza even if you missed out, Andy.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah, I know, food chain, right chain. Look, Winston petersn't
this talk about him going with labor if he's a
change in leadership. We've talked about this before. Is it
just another media beat up or do you think he
could be something to this?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Well, supposedly he's making an announcement today and as we said,
because of the technical demands of getting the Pony Express
from Dunedin to Gore, this is a pre record, so
it's like our nine point thirty in the morning Andy,
as we record this. My understanding is he's coming out today,
Whether it happens before this goes to her, I don't know,
(06:05):
and making a definitive statement or over the weekend about
whether he would consider going with Labor. Look if you
listen to his closing speech in Parliament, which was an
absolute cracker man oh man, did he gets stuck into
Labor and especially to party Maori and the Greens. I mean,
he hasn't got a great track record of being in government.
(06:28):
He always gets kicked out after one term. But I
like Winston and I like Shane, but I'd never forgive
him if he went with Labor, especially with Chippy, because
he said he's not going to go with Chris Sipkins.
And I will give Chris Sipkins a due here. Whether
he's sleep walking to victory, I don't know, but certainly
Labor is doing well under his leadership. I think Luxeon's
(06:50):
on the improved, he's on the rise. He had a
very good speech in Parliament as well. But Chris Hipkins
has done a very good job since that Petra trouncing
they got in twenty twenty three of keeping Labour's profile.
Whether it's high or not, I don't know, but he's
kept them to the forefront. Labor's polling really well and
he personally is polling really well. There's no danger at
(07:12):
all of Chris Hipkins not being the Labor or not
leading Labor into the next election, just as there is
no danger at all despite the Chris Bishop talk of
Luxeon being rolled. It won't happen. It'll be Luckson versus
Hipkins and the side players and New Zealand First and
Act versus to Party Maury and the Greens, and I
(07:34):
think that's where the election will be won and lost.
New Zealand First and ACT are a much more creditable
coalition partner than to Party Maray or the Greens.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, i'd agree with you on that and the other
thing too. Mark Patterson doing a lot of great work
this year. We can't underestimate what Mark's done. He's had
a pretty good twelve months. But going into woolsheds and
looking people in the eye knowing that he's gone with
the Left after everything that's gone on.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I don't think. Yeah, Mark Patterson would probably resign. I
agree with you. He's kind of a quiet achiever, Mark Patterson,
and he's doing a lot of the good rural work
for New Zealand. First, there's some good rural MPs in
parliament now. The NAT's brought in five or six of them,
including our old mate Grant mcnational in the last election.
(08:17):
And you think of Mark Patterson for New Zealand first,
and then you think of Mark Cameron, who's basically on
his death bed waiting for a kidney transplant. The ACT
guy and Andrew Hoggart, of course, who's straight straight into
Parliament as a minister, and we rarely do, and our
current crop of politicians have some really good rural farmer MPs.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Good on you, Jamie. Just before we wrap up as well,
So what is your holiday entail? Pretty much just golf
every day.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Oh no, to drive me batty. That's why I can't retire, Andy,
I'm not good enough would drive me batty playing every day. Look,
I hope to get down to Riversdale ten to my
beloved wetland and duck Pond. Got lots of trees to
fuss so I just about know the name of every
tree down there, Andy. So I want to get down
to Riversdale. I want to tour around south and have
a look at the old dairy farming interests down there.
(09:10):
There'll be a trip to Central at some stage, and
then a wedding at Waheki Island and a bit of
time with family and twanga on the way home. But
to be perfectly honest with you, Andy, I'm a big
fan of staycationst and Eden's a wonderful city over the
Christmas break because everyone leaves it and you've got it
all to yourself. But yeah, lots of golf, most of
(09:31):
it won't be much good a few bears, a bit
of exercise and just on behalf of us here at
the Country. I'd like to wish you Andy, you've done
a great job on the muster and all your listeners,
because I know you've got heaps. Merry Christmas, are safe
and happy Christmas and a prosperous new farming here.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Good only Jamie and Beckett. You guys up there in
the country always enjoyed our chats and make sure you
drop that grog off next week.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah, I'll do my best. See I hope it doesn't
get lost, answered.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Jamie McKay and the Country Crossover. Up next, we catch
up with Morgan Green from Northern Southland Vetts sp
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