July 15, 2026 • 9 mins
Julie Edwards of Shearwell UK looks at British farming and how the farming mood is over there at the moment.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
This says the Muster on Hakanui Ace have based the sign.
The theme today is nineteen ninety four as we head
over to the other side of the world to catch
up with Julie Edwards out of Sheerwell, UK. Now you
know the chance we do with Alan McCleary on a
monthly paces here on the muster Well we're catching up
with Julie. Now Sheerwell is a massive mess of company
(00:29):
based over in the UK, and we're catching up with
Julie just to see how the farming vibers over in
England at the moment. Julie, thanks for chatting on the Muster.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thanks Andy, great to join you. Great piece of music
as well. That brings back good memories from me, brings.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Back a lot of good memories. I think I was
like nineteen when that song come out for goodness sake,
without reminiscing too much.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I think we're about the same age.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Then, firstly, how's the farming mood over in the UK.
It sounds as though you've had a heat wave after
heat wave to continue with, and it's about talking about
your heat wave milk warmer.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, absolutely, so this is our third heat wave of
the year. So we're only into early July and already,
you know we've had temperatures of over thirty five degrees,
which is unheard of in the UK, and you know,
had a massive impact for the livestock and the arable sector.
You know, we I think what it has demonstrated is
that moving forward we are going to have to think
(01:28):
about installing fans in our sheds. I think, you know,
definitely planting a more trees. Cuchede is so important. You know,
we alongside working for Shearwell, I also have a farm
with my husband, so we've got sucker coos and sheep
and pigs and you know, it's been hard to see
how they've struggled. You know, we've done our best to
(01:49):
keep everything cool, but yeah, unprecedented times. You know, we've
gone from cold, wet winter into very hot and you know,
certainly at the moment on our farm it's very burnt up.
The long term forecast looks like we're not going to
get any rain, probably any significant rain until the middle
of August, which I know, you know, for a lot
(02:10):
of people is fairly short term, but for us it's
had a significant impact. We've got wild fires as well
over a UK at the moment, I think there's three
that they're trying to deal with. So, you know, changing times,
I guess environmentally and certainly making us think about how
we farm and what we need to do to prepare
for the future.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah, because you're hearing about the harvest coming up and
a lot of concerns around the fire risk as well. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Absolutely, you know, we're already seen on social media. You
know a number of farmers that have lost significant acreages
of wheat and barley, you know, and I think that
it's having an impact on the maize as well, so
you know, just for the maize crop, not enough water,
so the kernels where you know, there's just nothing, there's
(02:57):
no moisture there. But yeah, it's it's unprecedented, as I say,
and quite a concern I think. You know, the animals,
you know, whether it's a dairy sector with the cows,
they're suffering from heat stress. We've had animals at home
that we've had to bring in, particularly younger crafts that
just can't cope with the heat. Yeah, and it's it's
(03:17):
a summer like we've never known before. And I guess
potentially moving forward, this could be the norm. So as
a consequence, we're going to plan, have to plan for
the future and put some significant changes in place on
the farm.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So Hail's farmers seem to me at the moment gerally
given the weather has been like that. But on the
other side as well, prices have been pretty buoyant.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Absolutely, you know, we've probably for several well certainly this
is a second year at Leaf where we've seen some
really significantly good prices for lamb and for beef, you know,
whether it's whether it's ween lambs or finished lambs, and
the same with the cattle sector. The store prices and
the finished prices have been phenomenal. But having said that,
(03:59):
that's where they should have been for some significant time.
And I think, you know, there has been a disconnect
between what farmers have been paid historically and what you know,
in terms of the prices that we're seeing in the supermarket.
And I think perhaps sometimes you know, consumers don't recognize
their significance and the importance of the food that we're producing.
(04:20):
You know, the whole the whole story around field or
fork to field to fork is so is so significant,
and I think, you know, we perhaps need to put
more emphasis on making people aware of how and where
their food is produced, you know, and it's not as
easy as just going into a supermarket and picking up
a product. It's making them think about actually how it's
(04:40):
been produced and the value of that food, the nutritional value,
and the costs of production as well, because obviously, with
everything that's going on at the moment, you know, with
the blockades in the Straits of hor Moos and fuel
and everything, input prices are rising, so prices have to
be good because you know, the knock on effect for
down the line is significant.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Now, Julie, we were talking off fear, it sounds as
over the UK is facing the same issues as New Zealand,
whether it's ural connectivity or whatever. Across the board, there
are a lot of similarities between the two economies.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Oh absolutely. You know, quite often when I've listened to
you interviewing Allan historically, you know, I think we may
have different phrases for things, but actually the sentiment is
the same. And you know, I think that although you know,
different times of year, I think New Zealand farmers and
farmers in the UK will have the same challenges and
(05:35):
the same struggles. You know, whether as you just said
you highlighted rural connectivity, you know, which is key. You know,
if you're farming in a fairly isolated area, you know,
we are totally reliant on having that connectivity available to us.
And that's an area where we are sadly lacking in
the UK at the moment, and there needs to be
some significant investments. But you know, I think farmers are resilient.
(06:00):
They'll find a way, you know, certainly from Sheerwell perspective.
We produce products like our software. You know, you can
use it and work offline and then as soon as
you come back in too signal it automatically at sight.
So yeah, we've got around that problem, but it is
a challenge that needs to be sorted sooner rather than later.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Now you talk about sheer Well, like you say, I
talked to l on a regular basis about sheap tags,
kettle tags. But coming up to landing time, the heat
waves Milkwarmer talking to farmers on the show this week
and they're having a lot of truplets and the use
and all of a sudden it becomes pretty well realistic,
economical or worth it to put on the heat wave
milk Warmer system.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
As such, absolutely, you know, So the heat Wave, I
think you know, in terms of its price, it is
pitched at a really good price, and I think it's
it's one of those products that it's multi purpose, so
you can use it for rearing lambs, so you can
rear up to fifty lambs on it or thirty calves,
and you know, we use it on our farm at home,
(07:00):
and you know, in terms of production, quite often, you know,
if you're feeding bottle lambs, you may not finish quite
the finish that you'd want, but certainly with a heat wave,
when you're rearing them on that they automatically just help themselves.
So it's a bit like them going to their mums normally,
so they're drinking regularly and performance is exceptional. So we
(07:21):
see a lot of really good lambs and cars performing
really well on it, and we get really good feedback
from customers that are using it. And I think you
know that the thing to say about the heat Wave
is there's really only two things. Once you've set it up,
just regularly check that there is water in the water
bath and that you clean it regularly like you would
babies bottles. Because all the way, you know, it with milk,
it can it can get built up in there. So
(07:42):
it's a really straightforward product to.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Use something else that's relevant at the moment or coming
onto the market that's going to make life a lot
easier for farmers to the speedy tagger.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Absolutely, So that's the product that I think, you know,
people have been waiting to arrive. So it's it basically
had the cartridge that will hold a strip of ten
set tags, whether they're just visual or eed tags, and
you know, you put a strip of ten in rather
than having to individually load each individual tag. This makes
things a lot quicker. So you know, if you're slaughter,
(08:14):
if you're tagging slaughter, lambs or whatever, you can just
go down through the line tag everything and it's a job.
It probably halves the time. So yeah, very very popular
with people. You know, it's lightweight and it's effortless really
in terms of how people will use it, and you
can use it if you're left or right handed as well.
(08:35):
So it also comes with five cartridges, so you know
you can sit in the evening and just load them
and it makes life very easy for everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Absolutely. Now we'll talk about this a ellum A couple
of weeks, Julie, have a bitter leave it there. Thank
you very much for catching up for us. We're going
to catch up with you on a regular basis as
well on the Master. I'll be honest, we've had to
record this a little bit earlier, so you'll be either
celebrating or commiserating an inn and winner on England lost.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I'm an optimist, Andy, and I'm you know, England's going
to do it. It's going to bring it home.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's coming home, coming home.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Great to talk to you, Julie Edwards out of Sheerwell UK.
Great to catch up with the team, as we do
with Ellen McCleary. Coincidentally, as well, recorded earlier before England
lost in the semi final to Argentina. Nonetheless, we're talking
about their next with our residence sporting guru Nathan Burden
This says the Muster on Hakanui Ace have based the sign.
The theme today is nineteen ninety four as we head
over to the other side of the world to catch
up with Julie Edwards out of Sheerwell, UK. Now you
know the chance we do with Alan McCleary on a
monthly paces here on the muster Well we're catching up
with Julie. Now Sheerwell is a massive mess of company
(00:29):
based over in the UK, and we're catching up with
Julie just to see how the farming vibers over in
England at the moment. Julie, thanks for chatting on the Muster.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Thanks Andy, great to join you. Great piece of music
as well. That brings back good memories from me, brings.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Back a lot of good memories. I think I was
like nineteen when that song come out for goodness sake,
without reminiscing too much.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I think we're about the same age.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Then, firstly, how's the farming mood over in the UK.
It sounds as though you've had a heat wave after
heat wave to continue with, and it's about talking about
your heat wave milk warmer.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, absolutely, so this is our third heat wave of
the year. So we're only into early July and already,
you know we've had temperatures of over thirty five degrees,
which is unheard of in the UK, and you know,
had a massive impact for the livestock and the arable sector.
You know, we I think what it has demonstrated is
that moving forward we are going to have to think
(01:28):
about installing fans in our sheds. I think, you know,
definitely planting a more trees. Cuchede is so important. You know,
we alongside working for Shearwell, I also have a farm
with my husband, so we've got sucker coos and sheep
and pigs and you know, it's been hard to see
how they've struggled. You know, we've done our best to
(01:49):
keep everything cool, but yeah, unprecedented times. You know, we've
gone from cold, wet winter into very hot and you know,
certainly at the moment on our farm it's very burnt up.
The long term forecast looks like we're not going to
get any rain, probably any significant rain until the middle
of August, which I know, you know, for a lot
(02:10):
of people is fairly short term, but for us it's
had a significant impact. We've got wild fires as well
over a UK at the moment, I think there's three
that they're trying to deal with. So, you know, changing times,
I guess environmentally and certainly making us think about how
we farm and what we need to do to prepare
for the future.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah, because you're hearing about the harvest coming up and
a lot of concerns around the fire risk as well. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Absolutely, you know, we're already seen on social media. You
know a number of farmers that have lost significant acreages
of wheat and barley, you know, and I think that
it's having an impact on the maize as well, so
you know, just for the maize crop, not enough water,
so the kernels where you know, there's just nothing, there's
(02:57):
no moisture there. But yeah, it's it's unprecedented, as I say,
and quite a concern I think. You know, the animals,
you know, whether it's a dairy sector with the cows,
they're suffering from heat stress. We've had animals at home
that we've had to bring in, particularly younger crafts that
just can't cope with the heat. Yeah, and it's it's
(03:17):
a summer like we've never known before. And I guess
potentially moving forward, this could be the norm. So as
a consequence, we're going to plan, have to plan for
the future and put some significant changes in place on
the farm.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So Hail's farmers seem to me at the moment gerally
given the weather has been like that. But on the
other side as well, prices have been pretty buoyant.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Absolutely, you know, we've probably for several well certainly this
is a second year at Leaf where we've seen some
really significantly good prices for lamb and for beef, you know,
whether it's whether it's ween lambs or finished lambs, and
the same with the cattle sector. The store prices and
the finished prices have been phenomenal. But having said that,
(03:59):
that's where they should have been for some significant time.
And I think, you know, there has been a disconnect
between what farmers have been paid historically and what you know,
in terms of the prices that we're seeing in the supermarket.
And I think perhaps sometimes you know, consumers don't recognize
their significance and the importance of the food that we're producing.
(04:20):
You know, the whole the whole story around field or
fork to field to fork is so is so significant,
and I think, you know, we perhaps need to put
more emphasis on making people aware of how and where
their food is produced, you know, and it's not as
easy as just going into a supermarket and picking up
a product. It's making them think about actually how it's
(04:40):
been produced and the value of that food, the nutritional value,
and the costs of production as well, because obviously, with
everything that's going on at the moment, you know, with
the blockades in the Straits of hor Moos and fuel
and everything, input prices are rising, so prices have to
be good because you know, the knock on effect for
down the line is significant.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Now, Julie, we were talking off fear, it sounds as
over the UK is facing the same issues as New Zealand,
whether it's ural connectivity or whatever. Across the board, there
are a lot of similarities between the two economies.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Oh absolutely. You know, quite often when I've listened to
you interviewing Allan historically, you know, I think we may
have different phrases for things, but actually the sentiment is
the same. And you know, I think that although you know,
different times of year, I think New Zealand farmers and
farmers in the UK will have the same challenges and
(05:35):
the same struggles. You know, whether as you just said
you highlighted rural connectivity, you know, which is key. You know,
if you're farming in a fairly isolated area, you know,
we are totally reliant on having that connectivity available to us.
And that's an area where we are sadly lacking in
the UK at the moment, and there needs to be
some significant investments. But you know, I think farmers are resilient.
(06:00):
They'll find a way, you know, certainly from Sheerwell perspective.
We produce products like our software. You know, you can
use it and work offline and then as soon as
you come back in too signal it automatically at sight.
So yeah, we've got around that problem, but it is
a challenge that needs to be sorted sooner rather than later.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Now you talk about sheer Well, like you say, I
talked to l on a regular basis about sheap tags,
kettle tags. But coming up to landing time, the heat
waves Milkwarmer talking to farmers on the show this week
and they're having a lot of truplets and the use
and all of a sudden it becomes pretty well realistic,
economical or worth it to put on the heat wave
milk Warmer system.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
As such, absolutely, you know, So the heat Wave, I
think you know, in terms of its price, it is
pitched at a really good price, and I think it's
it's one of those products that it's multi purpose, so
you can use it for rearing lambs, so you can
rear up to fifty lambs on it or thirty calves,
and you know, we use it on our farm at home,
(07:00):
and you know, in terms of production, quite often, you know,
if you're feeding bottle lambs, you may not finish quite
the finish that you'd want, but certainly with a heat wave,
when you're rearing them on that they automatically just help themselves.
So it's a bit like them going to their mums normally,
so they're drinking regularly and performance is exceptional. So we
(07:21):
see a lot of really good lambs and cars performing
really well on it, and we get really good feedback
from customers that are using it. And I think you
know that the thing to say about the heat Wave
is there's really only two things. Once you've set it up,
just regularly check that there is water in the water
bath and that you clean it regularly like you would
babies bottles. Because all the way, you know, it with milk,
it can it can get built up in there. So
(07:42):
it's a really straightforward product to.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Use something else that's relevant at the moment or coming
onto the market that's going to make life a lot
easier for farmers to the speedy tagger.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Absolutely, So that's the product that I think, you know,
people have been waiting to arrive. So it's it basically
had the cartridge that will hold a strip of ten
set tags, whether they're just visual or eed tags, and
you know, you put a strip of ten in rather
than having to individually load each individual tag. This makes
things a lot quicker. So you know, if you're slaughter,
(08:14):
if you're tagging slaughter, lambs or whatever, you can just
go down through the line tag everything and it's a job.
It probably halves the time. So yeah, very very popular
with people. You know, it's lightweight and it's effortless really
in terms of how people will use it, and you
can use it if you're left or right handed as well.
(08:35):
So it also comes with five cartridges, so you know
you can sit in the evening and just load them
and it makes life very easy for everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Absolutely. Now we'll talk about this a ellum A couple
of weeks, Julie, have a bitter leave it there. Thank
you very much for catching up for us. We're going
to catch up with you on a regular basis as
well on the Master. I'll be honest, we've had to
record this a little bit earlier, so you'll be either
celebrating or commiserating an inn and winner on England lost.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I'm an optimist, Andy, and I'm you know, England's going
to do it. It's going to bring it home.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's coming home, coming home.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Great to talk to you, Julie Edwards out of Sheerwell UK.
Great to catch up with the team, as we do
with Ellen McCleary. Coincidentally, as well, recorded earlier before England
lost in the semi final to Argentina. Nonetheless, we're talking
about their next with our residence sporting guru Nathan Burden
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