With the start of the new year, more signs are appearing for the direction the sheep industry is going. The majority of these signs are positive and are pointing towards an exciting year for the industry. In this episode, hear from the South Island Livestock Manager for PGG Wrightson, Shane Gerken about how prices have looked over the summer break and what they’re shifting towards. We also hear from a young up and coming sheep breeder, Jasper Hewlett-Coffey about what he plans to do as part of a...
Jan 23, 2025•52 min•Season 4Ep. 53
Selecting sheep for their lower methane traits could be a great tool for farmers, if emissions pricing is on the cards. Cool Sheep Programme Manager Dr Cynthia Lawrence discusses how they are using gene selection to breed lower methane sheep. Central Otago farmer Emma Crutchley shares how they’ve tackled emissions reductions on her family farm, using a range of actions, including a larger arable component, which led to a reduction in stocking rate. Guests include: Emma Crutchley, Sheep and Beef ...
Jan 16, 2025•40 min•Season 4Ep. 52
Deferred grazing could be a great option for your farm, to reduce costs, and improve soil health, with environmental benefits too, and could be as simple as shutting the paddock gate. In this episode, hear from a Waikato farmer who has implemented this practice on his farm, and a scientist behind the research into deferred grazing. We also hear from Property Brokers about what changing land use regulations could mean for the rural property market going into 2025.. Guests include: Bill Garland, W...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 51
2025 could be a window of opportunity for farmers to get into the deer industry, as the sheep industry faces tough times. With new market access opportunities opening up in China and South Korea, and the benefits of mixed species farming in mind, could it be the year of the deer for New Zealand farmers? Guests include: Rhys Griffiths, CEO, Deer Industry New Zealand Mark McCoard, Chairman, New Zealand Deer Farmers Association Hosts: Rebecca Greaves, Editor, Country-Wide Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Manag...
Dec 05, 2024•42 min•Season 4Ep. 50
In this episode we look at the ways farmers can get the most out of their four-legged farm workers, and give them the best care possible. Learn about a Massey University project looking at the DNA and behaviour of working dogs in New Zealand, and hear advice from a Hunterville vet on how to best care for your working dogs throughout their life, from a pup through to old age. Guests include: Jaime Watters, Mixed Animal Veterinarian, Hunterville Vet Club Matt Littlejohn, Professor of Animal Geneti...
Nov 28, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 49
Recruiting and keeping great employees is always relevant in the success of farm businesses, and is the focus of the special report in Country-Wide Summer . In this episode find out more about what employees are looking for when it comes to work contracts, how we’re doing as a sector when it comes to remuneration, and how you can attract good employees through your recruitment process. Guests include: Richard McIntyre, Employment Spokesperson, Federated Farmers Gretchen Parkes, Manager, Rural Di...
Nov 21, 2024•42 min•Season 4Ep. 48
Keeping young people engaged in the farming industry is vital to the long term success of our sector. Nurturing and growing the next generation of farmers is something we should all care about. In this episode we look at the programmes that exist to upskill our future farmers, and give them the tools to have a long and rewarding career. We also dive into the current property markets as we head into spring and summer, and what we can glean from iconic sheep and beef farms hitting the markets. Gue...
Nov 14, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 47
Farm businesses, like any other business, thrive better when there’s good leadership, from large multi-farm businesses to family owned-and-operated farmers. But how do you become a good leader, and what actually makes one? In this episode we delve into Pāmu’s leadership programme model, and talk to a Marlborough farmer investing in good leadership and team culture on his farm. Guests include: Bernadette Kelly, Chief People, Safety and Reputation Officer, Pāmu Fraser Avery, Marlborough Farmer Hos...
Nov 07, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 46
The light at the end of the tunnel is coming for the red meat sector, but how can farmers start planning ahead to stay out of the boom-and-bust cycle that seems prevalent in the sector? Hear from RaboResearch Senior Animal Protein Analyst Jen Corkran on the opportunities available to red meat farmers going forward, and Australian Independent Livestock Analyst Simon Quilty on what opportunities we can glean from the Australian market. Guests include: Jen Corkran, Senior Animal Protein Analyst, Ra...
Oct 31, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 45
Changing a farm system is no small feat, and Banks Peninsula farmer George Masefield, and his wife Emma, have spent the past eight years making significant changes to the family’s farming operation. In almost a decade they’ve been able to transform the business, enabling them to finish all of their lambs on their dryland hill country and buy in trading stock. In this episode hear from George Masefield, and PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative Robert Trott, who has been part of the farm t...
Oct 24, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 44
The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards are a highlight of the farming calendar, to come together and celebrate the hard work and excellence of the sheep and beef sector. The judges had their work cut out for them this year, with many notable figures in the industry up for awards, from science and technology, to farming leadership and community involvement. In this episode, hear from three farmer award winners. Let’s take the chance to celebrate the hard work being done in our sector. Guests include:...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 43
Pathways to farm ownership can be hard to navigate, with young farmers having less access to the capital required to purchase land. Equity partnerships are a viable option that allow farmers to partner with investors to get a foot on the farm ownership ladder. In this episode hear from Wairarapa farmers, Simon and Katie Falloon, who are equity managers in an equity partnership; Sarah How, Co-Founder of Landify, on how their platform sets up farmers with interested investors to make farm ownershi...
Oct 10, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 42
This week we catch up with Country-Wide’s Spring issue Home Block columnists from around the country to find out what’s happening in their patch. From yearling bull sales and cyclone recovery in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, to challenging lambing conditions in Southland, our four farmers discuss the challenges and rewards of farming in each of their regions. Guests include: Max Tweedie, Farmer, Hawke’s Bay Ben Dooley, Farmer, Southland Anna Munro, Farmer, Mid-Canterbury Sandra Matthews, Farmer, Tai...
Oct 03, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 41
Can we find common ground to solve the challenges facing the primary industries? AGMARDT has launched a thought leadership report with KPMG with the proactive title ‘Are industry good bodies good for industry?’ The report identified 150 different organisations from co-operatives to levy-funded and member organisations that drive forward positive outcomes for farmers, but are they working collaboratively together in a way that will take farming into the future? In this episode we hear from farmer...
Sep 26, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 40
With a goal of Predator Free 2050, it can seem ambitious with only 25 years to go. Is it a fantasy, or can it become our reality? In this episode we catch up with different groups working to tackle pests and weeds across New Zealand, from animals like ferrets, goats and possums, to weeds like wilding conifers. Guests include: Pete Oswald, Project Manager, Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group Mike Perry, Manager, DOC’s National Wild Animals Management Programme Professor James Ross, Wildli...
Sep 19, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 39
We have less than five seasons until overseas 2030 emissions targets begin to impact our overseas exports, and we may still yet need to be able to minimise and measure our own emissions domestically. With this in mind, farmers might be wondering what tools are out there to help them tackle their emissions, in ways they can integrate into their existing systems. Hear from two agricultural organisations working to develop tools to minimise methane emissions, and a farmer utilising genetics to bree...
Sep 12, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 38
Investing off-farm in property or shares can be a daunting prospect, however it’s an increasingly appealing way to future proof your funds and diversify wealth away from land. Navigating how to start, what to invest in, and how to manage the risks should be top of mind for anyone interested in investing. Learn more about how managing your wealth can help with farm succession, retirement, and preparing your rainy day fund. We also cover the importance of estate planning and insurance when it come...
Sep 05, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 37
When the traditional income streams are not delivering enough to the bottom line, is it time to diversify into activities that don’t rely on the cyclical nature of farm commodities? It can be hard to know what options are out there to diversify onfarm income, and how they can be integrated into your farming system. In this episode we hear about different options for diversifying, from raising goats for cashmere to horticulture and viticulture. Guests include: Olivia Sanders, Business Development...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 36
Could solar farming be the next value-add option for New Zealand farmers? Agrivoltaics, which results in dual use of farmland between solar farming and traditional farming, is gaining traction as a viable way of diversifying income. Hear what’s already happening in this space, including the Lincoln University energy farm project, how Lodestone Energy is partnering with farmers to expand their solar farm network, and listen to farmer Hamish Hills, who researched, financed and installed his own so...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 35
Farmers looking to implement a value-add business onfarm might want to consider looking into agritourism - with options such as self-contained holiday homes, glamping, and sunflower fields just to name a few. What you might consider ordinary on your farm, might just be extraordinary to an overseas or domestic customer. But where do you get started? And does it really bring in enough revenue to make it worth it? Hear from three experts and farmers in both the consultancy and agritourism space, co...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 34
Tough times in New Zealand and globally have taken their toll on the luxury goods market, and New Zealand’s merino sector is no exception. In this episode, we hear from those who know merino best, and how they’re planning to overcome challenges related to financial recession, and overseas regulations, that demand higher quality and processing accountability. We also look at how new technologies in the AI and genetics space could help enhance merino quality. Guests include: Angus Street, CEO, NZ ...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Protecting our farm businesses for future generations is front of mind for many in the farming world, including when it comes to land use, and freshwater degradation. Guests Lee Matheson and Tanira Kingi have both been part of Our Land And Water (Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai) research projects, and spoke at the symposium held in May, to discuss ways farmers already are and can continue to protect their greatest asset: the land. Whether this is getting involved in protecting your local catchme...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 32
One of the hot topics at the Red Meat Sector Conference this week was the recently enacted EU deforestation regulation, and how this will impact New Zealand meat exporters. Rebecca Greaves talks to farmer and Special Agricultural Trade Envoy for New Zealand, Hamish Marr, and lawyer Sarah Salmond, about this and more - including negotiating the minefield of Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and whether we should join forces with the Aussies. Then hear from McDonald’s New Zealand's Simon Kenny about what...
Jul 25, 2024•58 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Farm succession is something that affects every farming family at some point - whether it be from parent to child, or outside the family unit, there are many ways to approach it, and definitely no silver bullet. Hear from three people who know succession’s in-and-outs best:, a farmer currently in the succession process; a rural banking expert; and a family succession planning consultant. Guests include: Hugo Beamish, farmer, Awapai Aiden Gent, General Manager (Rural), ASB Bob Seldon, Senior Cons...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Rural banking is a hot topic. The government says it has heard farmers’ concerns about a disparity between rural and urban bank lending practices, and has requested an inquiry into the state of competition in New Zealand banking, with a particular focus on rural areas. Hear from those in the industry about why they believe this inquiry is needed, whether the current situation is unfair to farmers, and where personal business responsibility fits into this. Federated Farmers also outline the resul...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 29
The government has announced that agriculture will no longer be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for now, but the effects of climate change and the way we might potentially price agricultural emissions are still front of mind for those in the sector. Industry bodies say that New Zealand food producers need to think about how a global demand for sustainably grown and produced food will impact our place in the supply chain. Guests include: Wayne Langford, National President, Federate...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 28
We need to bring farmers to the table and take them off the menu, when it comes to fostering sustainable practices in the agriculture sector. 2023 Nuffield Scholar Kylie Leonard says trailing environmentally focused practices must be voluntary to succeed. Having spent time overseas for this report, she says the best uptake she’s witnessed is where farmers have had the choice to change, and lead by example within their community. Regulations drive the lowest common denominator behaviour, she says...
Jun 30, 2024•41 min
It’s bull and sheep buying season, and advancements in the genetics space are continuing to develop, to provide sheep and beef breeders with better New Zealand specific data. But how do farmers make the most of this information? We talk to genetics specialists about projects running at the moment, what data they already have available, and how farmers can start using it in their systems. Guests include: Dr Shannon Clarke, AgResearch Principal Scientist & The Ovine Pangenome Project Gemma Jen...
Jun 27, 2024•42 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Drench resistance is a growing challenge for many New Zealand farms, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Hear about what tools are out there, including adapting farm systems, and being proactive with testing. Rebecca Greaves talks to Wormwise Programme Manager Ginny Dodunski about what to do if you discover drench resistance onfarm, and Hawke’s Bay farmer Charles Yule, who is farming with drench resistance and wrote his Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme report on this topic. Guests incl...
Jun 20, 2024•49 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Lifting the price of wool, the benefits of deferred grazing and capturing money left on the table from everyday tools - Sarah Perriam-Lampp was roving around Fieldays to capture yarns reflecting the opportunities in front of us today. She checked out some exciting announcements for farmers across New Zealand: outdoor clothing company Stoney Creek’s pledge to pay farmers more for their wool; a new deferred grazing study from AgResearch; and innovations in animal management with Gallagher. Guests ...
Jun 13, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 25
