September 11, 2025 • 8 mins
Miichelle Watt looks at proposed changes around Agri Business in the secondary school cirriculum.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It has time for the country crossover. Michelle Watt, executive
producer of the Country, joins us once again. Get a
Michelle get A.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
And it feels like ages since I spoke to you.
For some reason, I'm not sure what I think, because
a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I've been away. Last time you spoke, you caught up
with Chucker Wilson prior to that, and well, Jamie wanted
an intervention last week because of the ram Freely Shield.
But this week is just being I don't know, you
feel like you're all newsed out.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh, I feel like I'm used out. We'll talk about
that at the end. How we're going to cope with
that with the mindset.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
That's a good idea. But look, this is interesting curriculum
changes regarding agriculture.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yes, so I come across this this morning. Of course,
the media release I think might have come out yesterday afternoon.
But agribusiness in schools is part of changes in the
new curriculum. So it's going to be taught as an
industry lead subject and no longer stand alone. Now what
that means, Andy, is that basically it's no longer going
to be an academic type subject where you sit in
a classroom, or that's not going to be part of
(01:09):
the curriculum. It's going to just be sort of more
vocational industry lead, as in practical skills. So those skills.
The schools that still teach those practical skills in agriculture,
which is still a few around the country, will still
have that. But the ones that are just doing the
agribusiness side of things, there may not be anything in
schools for kids anymore.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Now. I spoke to Currie Yellen from of Simp Paul's
Collegiate on the must A Wee while ago, actually talking
egra business and schools, and I caught up with her
once again up at the Field Days back in June.
And now, if you're a kid doing agra business, you
have to be involved with the innovations at the field
Days as such. And the whole school really got involved
and all the kids had a real passion for the industry.
(01:49):
So it's a bit of a concern that this is
going to be the way forward.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Oh it's really sad. At the moment agribusiness is actually
taught by achievements standards and unit standards and it's going
a more vocational pathway, so it gives the student on
option for both. So it's interesting that they're moving more
towards that industry standards. I mean, what's going to happen
to those kids, you know, especially when you think about
the likes of universities like Lincoln and Massy and things
(02:14):
like that, and some of the amazing people that are
coming out of that into the agribusiness sphere these days.
I mean, you look at the situation outlocked for Primary
Industries report which was released at Field Days this year.
The sector employees three hundred and sixty thousand people and
that was as of March twenty twenty three, or twelve
point four percent of the New Zealand workforce is employed
(02:34):
by the primary sector basically. So it's super interesting that
that's something they've decided is no longer going to be
an academic pathway at schools now.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The changes for years eleven to thirteen include curriculum based
subjects around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with students being
able to specialize in areas including Earth and space science,
statistics and data science, electronics and megatronics, but there will
also be a new specialist mess subjects including further mass.
Other new subjects include Civics, politics and philosophy, Great Media,
(03:06):
Journalism and Communications, temti at A Maori there Goo, Pacific Studies,
and music technology.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, so it's interesting, isn't It sounds like some of
them have just been repackaged to me. I mean, it's
been a long time since I've been at school, and
and I'm sure it's been a long time since you
were year eleven to thirteen as.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Well, thirty three years in counting.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, I'm not going to put years on it because
it just makes me feel incredibly old. And I'm sure
things have changed a lot even in that time from
school for kids as well. But you know, I remember agribusiness,
especially being from a rural co ed school, and you
would have been the same down where you were. It
actually was, you know, it was a topic, it was
a subject, and actually a lot of kids did it.
And I do have a lot of friends that went
to Lincoln and things like that become agribusiness accountants and
(03:48):
all sorts of stuff, farmers, you know, all sorts of
things from that as well.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Dame no Aline taroa new zell And netple, has really
dropped the ball on this. But a couple of things
that we haven't heard a lot about this week, which
is still haven't been released in the press. There's another
issue there. I'm just staying well away from that because
we've got other stuff going on. But he's illing Neppul
and I don't know. This is really interesting. She's been
hung out to dry.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh I was shocked. Were you shocked when you saw this?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I couldn't believe it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I was excited to read it about three or four
times because I thought, no, this is fake news. You know,
this can't be real. Yes, So, Silvi Faren's coach has
been stood down. Of course, Dame Nole in tytru Ors,
she led the team to a twenty nineteen World Cup victory.
She led them to several victories actually a very successful
team and been stood down right before the series against
(04:36):
South Africa which starts Sunday week. So it's super interesting
this has happened. Of course, a lot of it obviously
is not telling the full story, which I find really
interesting that there's just part of it coming out, And
of course has been you know, support for Dame Nolen
coming out from Yvonne Willering and Laura Langman. Actually there's
a fantastic interview if you want to grab that off
(04:57):
Gold Sport on their podcast with Von Weller yesterday. Jump
on and listen to that one, really great interview with her.
Of course, she is an absolute legend of the sport.
Laura Langman's letter. Did you read that one? Yes, you know,
incredible support for Dame Nolene. I think she was coached
by her right the way through high school into the
rep teams as well.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Now it's that time of year, it's busy. I've been
talking to farmers asking them for little Oh they just
little things they do to break up the monotony of
the lambing or the carving season, and just something to
keep in your mind heading into the weekend. Yes, the
weather hasn't been flashing, there's work to do, but you
got just got to look after yourself as well.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Oh, absolutely, Andy, I mean I've never really as a kid. Yeah,
I helped out with lambing over the road with the
neighbors and things like that, and I used to ride
my horse around the neighbor's paddock and keep an eye
out for things going on. But for me as a kid, obviously,
the stress wasn't there because the farm didn't belong to me.
So I can't imagine, you know, how much stress it
is running a business and knowing each you know, dead
(05:55):
lamb or dead calf or anything like that, or the
weather turning and it's not nice. No, it's not right.
And I think you know, even you know as a kid,
remembering we had a really bad year once where all
the slinkys were piled up, you know, at the end
of the road, and it's not it's not a nice thing.
So I can't even imagine how much stress that causes.
So hopefully the weather stays good and we don't have
too much of that. But also it's equally a hard
(06:16):
time of year where you're working incredibly hard out there
all day, you know, all night sometimes as well. And
also coming into that season where they're out in the
tractors all the time as well, is not too far away.
So some things to look out for that you could do.
Switching off from work I think is really important. I
know you and I are good at that. Andy, Yeah,
(06:38):
just switch off. But you know, when you live on
the farm and it's part of your work and you're
looking out the window at the paddock and things like that,
and it's where you live. It's quite difficult. So I
think having routines and this comes from Armstrong as well.
Actually this tip and I thought it was a great one.
Having a routine where you actually actively switch off, so
you know, coming into the house, getting changed, having a shower,
you know, having that cup of coffee and switch. You know,
(06:59):
having a deff line of like I'm finished, wherek now
I'm at home? You know, I'm having a break or
whatever is really important. I think connecting with others is
another really important one and there's lots of that going
on around the country. We get lots of tips from
our Farmstrong champions about doing things like holding our shed
shouts at their own farm just so people can get
together have a yarn and quite often you'll find out
(07:19):
that everyone is going through the same thing, especially if
you're in the same area. And if problem shared is
a problem halved. You know that type of stuff as well.
And I think getting off farm, as I said before,
you know, make sure that you've got those sports things,
those outside intrat something that you can go to and
maybe a really busy timing year anything I don't have
time for this but even like just getting out going
to town. You know, maybe you have a gym in
(07:41):
your town, Go there for twenty minutes, you know, something
like that, Go for a beer with a mate, you know,
just get off farm, have some time out, you know,
and don't talk about work.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
I thought you said gin instead of gym there. I
meaning if you're going to get here, a gin in town,
go and do it just to wrap up, or a
tager going to keep winning in the NPC. They got
the necky tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
It's going to be a tough bet, isn't it because
Tartanaki are traditionally a very strong team. But hey, you know,
I don't want to jinx them by saying they can
do it. But I'm a believer. I'm going to say yes.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Eightler's up on Sunday, Stagg's playing County's good on you, Michelle,
Always good to catch up.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Always good mate.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Michelle Watt and the Country Crossover. Elliott Smith is up
next from New Still CB and gold Sport. You can
hear his commentaries. We'll talk a bit of ab He's
ahead of the Big Test tomorrow at the Caketon
It has time for the country crossover. Michelle Watt, executive
producer of the Country, joins us once again. Get a
Michelle get A.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
And it feels like ages since I spoke to you.
For some reason, I'm not sure what I think, because
a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I've been away. Last time you spoke, you caught up
with Chucker Wilson prior to that, and well, Jamie wanted
an intervention last week because of the ram Freely Shield.
But this week is just being I don't know, you
feel like you're all newsed out.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh, I feel like I'm used out. We'll talk about
that at the end. How we're going to cope with
that with the mindset.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
That's a good idea. But look, this is interesting curriculum
changes regarding agriculture.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yes, so I come across this this morning. Of course,
the media release I think might have come out yesterday afternoon.
But agribusiness in schools is part of changes in the
new curriculum. So it's going to be taught as an
industry lead subject and no longer stand alone. Now what
that means, Andy, is that basically it's no longer going
to be an academic type subject where you sit in
a classroom, or that's not going to be part of
(01:09):
the curriculum. It's going to just be sort of more
vocational industry lead, as in practical skills. So those skills.
The schools that still teach those practical skills in agriculture,
which is still a few around the country, will still
have that. But the ones that are just doing the
agribusiness side of things, there may not be anything in
schools for kids anymore.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Now. I spoke to Currie Yellen from of Simp Paul's
Collegiate on the must A Wee while ago, actually talking
egra business and schools, and I caught up with her
once again up at the Field Days back in June.
And now, if you're a kid doing agra business, you
have to be involved with the innovations at the field
Days as such. And the whole school really got involved
and all the kids had a real passion for the industry.
(01:49):
So it's a bit of a concern that this is
going to be the way forward.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Oh it's really sad. At the moment agribusiness is actually
taught by achievements standards and unit standards and it's going
a more vocational pathway, so it gives the student on
option for both. So it's interesting that they're moving more
towards that industry standards. I mean, what's going to happen
to those kids, you know, especially when you think about
the likes of universities like Lincoln and Massy and things
(02:14):
like that, and some of the amazing people that are
coming out of that into the agribusiness sphere these days.
I mean, you look at the situation outlocked for Primary
Industries report which was released at Field Days this year.
The sector employees three hundred and sixty thousand people and
that was as of March twenty twenty three, or twelve
point four percent of the New Zealand workforce is employed
(02:34):
by the primary sector basically. So it's super interesting that
that's something they've decided is no longer going to be
an academic pathway at schools now.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The changes for years eleven to thirteen include curriculum based
subjects around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with students being
able to specialize in areas including Earth and space science,
statistics and data science, electronics and megatronics, but there will
also be a new specialist mess subjects including further mass.
Other new subjects include Civics, politics and philosophy, Great Media,
(03:06):
Journalism and Communications, temti at A Maori there Goo, Pacific Studies,
and music technology.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, so it's interesting, isn't It sounds like some of
them have just been repackaged to me. I mean, it's
been a long time since I've been at school, and
and I'm sure it's been a long time since you
were year eleven to thirteen as.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Well, thirty three years in counting.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, I'm not going to put years on it because
it just makes me feel incredibly old. And I'm sure
things have changed a lot even in that time from
school for kids as well. But you know, I remember agribusiness,
especially being from a rural co ed school, and you
would have been the same down where you were. It
actually was, you know, it was a topic, it was
a subject, and actually a lot of kids did it.
And I do have a lot of friends that went
to Lincoln and things like that become agribusiness accountants and
(03:48):
all sorts of stuff, farmers, you know, all sorts of
things from that as well.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Dame no Aline taroa new zell And netple, has really
dropped the ball on this. But a couple of things
that we haven't heard a lot about this week, which
is still haven't been released in the press. There's another
issue there. I'm just staying well away from that because
we've got other stuff going on. But he's illing Neppul
and I don't know. This is really interesting. She's been
hung out to dry.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh I was shocked. Were you shocked when you saw this?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I couldn't believe it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I was excited to read it about three or four
times because I thought, no, this is fake news. You know,
this can't be real. Yes, So, Silvi Faren's coach has
been stood down. Of course, Dame Nole in tytru Ors,
she led the team to a twenty nineteen World Cup victory.
She led them to several victories actually a very successful
team and been stood down right before the series against
(04:36):
South Africa which starts Sunday week. So it's super interesting
this has happened. Of course, a lot of it obviously
is not telling the full story, which I find really
interesting that there's just part of it coming out, And
of course has been you know, support for Dame Nolen
coming out from Yvonne Willering and Laura Langman. Actually there's
a fantastic interview if you want to grab that off
(04:57):
Gold Sport on their podcast with Von Weller yesterday. Jump
on and listen to that one, really great interview with her.
Of course, she is an absolute legend of the sport.
Laura Langman's letter. Did you read that one? Yes, you know,
incredible support for Dame Nolene. I think she was coached
by her right the way through high school into the
rep teams as well.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Now it's that time of year, it's busy. I've been
talking to farmers asking them for little Oh they just
little things they do to break up the monotony of
the lambing or the carving season, and just something to
keep in your mind heading into the weekend. Yes, the
weather hasn't been flashing, there's work to do, but you
got just got to look after yourself as well.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Oh, absolutely, Andy, I mean I've never really as a kid. Yeah,
I helped out with lambing over the road with the
neighbors and things like that, and I used to ride
my horse around the neighbor's paddock and keep an eye
out for things going on. But for me as a kid, obviously,
the stress wasn't there because the farm didn't belong to me.
So I can't imagine, you know, how much stress it
is running a business and knowing each you know, dead
(05:55):
lamb or dead calf or anything like that, or the
weather turning and it's not nice. No, it's not right.
And I think you know, even you know as a kid,
remembering we had a really bad year once where all
the slinkys were piled up, you know, at the end
of the road, and it's not it's not a nice thing.
So I can't even imagine how much stress that causes.
So hopefully the weather stays good and we don't have
too much of that. But also it's equally a hard
(06:16):
time of year where you're working incredibly hard out there
all day, you know, all night sometimes as well. And
also coming into that season where they're out in the
tractors all the time as well, is not too far away.
So some things to look out for that you could do.
Switching off from work I think is really important. I
know you and I are good at that. Andy, Yeah,
(06:38):
just switch off. But you know, when you live on
the farm and it's part of your work and you're
looking out the window at the paddock and things like that,
and it's where you live. It's quite difficult. So I
think having routines and this comes from Armstrong as well.
Actually this tip and I thought it was a great one.
Having a routine where you actually actively switch off, so
you know, coming into the house, getting changed, having a shower,
you know, having that cup of coffee and switch. You know,
(06:59):
having a deff line of like I'm finished, wherek now
I'm at home? You know, I'm having a break or
whatever is really important. I think connecting with others is
another really important one and there's lots of that going
on around the country. We get lots of tips from
our Farmstrong champions about doing things like holding our shed
shouts at their own farm just so people can get
together have a yarn and quite often you'll find out
(07:19):
that everyone is going through the same thing, especially if
you're in the same area. And if problem shared is
a problem halved. You know that type of stuff as well.
And I think getting off farm, as I said before,
you know, make sure that you've got those sports things,
those outside intrat something that you can go to and
maybe a really busy timing year anything I don't have
time for this but even like just getting out going
to town. You know, maybe you have a gym in
(07:41):
your town, Go there for twenty minutes, you know, something
like that, Go for a beer with a mate, you know,
just get off farm, have some time out, you know,
and don't talk about work.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
I thought you said gin instead of gym there. I
meaning if you're going to get here, a gin in town,
go and do it just to wrap up, or a
tager going to keep winning in the NPC. They got
the necky tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
It's going to be a tough bet, isn't it because
Tartanaki are traditionally a very strong team. But hey, you know,
I don't want to jinx them by saying they can
do it. But I'm a believer. I'm going to say yes.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Eightler's up on Sunday, Stagg's playing County's good on you, Michelle,
Always good to catch up.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Always good mate.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Michelle Watt and the Country Crossover. Elliott Smith is up
next from New Still CB and gold Sport. You can
hear his commentaries. We'll talk a bit of ab He's
ahead of the Big Test tomorrow at the Caketon
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