Farmers Weekly Podcast

Senior reporter Richard Rennie is also on the ground at Mystery Creek and he chats to Bryan about some of the highlights from the first two days, including the launch of the Science for Farmers hub and the visiting Brazilian delegation.

The Government announced an inquiry into rural banking, something Federated Farmers has been calling for, and dairy chair Richard McIntyre says the aim now is to make sure terms of reference are set in a way that addresses the issues that really concern them.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has released a new report urging New Zealand to address the issue of land-use change so it’s done equitably and in a way that supports rural communities and the environment. Bryan speaks with the commissioner’s chief economist Geoff Simmons about the report. North Canterbury is very dry and Federated Farmers regional president Karl Dean tells Brya...

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has released a new report urging New Zealand to address the issue of land-use change so it’s done equitably and in a way that supports rural communities and the environment. Bryan speaks with the commissioner’s chief economist Geoff Simmons about the report.

Senior reporter Richard Rennie goes through a new report from the United Nations on methane inhibitors, which warns some of the innovations being developed may not be entirely safe. He says more research is needed to ensure they’re fine for both livestock and humans.

North Canterbury is very dry and Federated Farmers regional president Karl Dean tells Bryan farmers there are having to make tough decisions as winter begins. Ewes are being culled and for many, buying supplementary feed is just too expensive.

The Burke brothers – John and Rick – were named Cawthron Freshwater Champions at an awards ceremony in Wellington last week. The twins have spent almost 30 years turning their Kati Kati farm into an environmental exemplar. Rick told Bryan about their journey and the importance their catchment group had in helping them.   Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick also gives an update on h...

The Burke brothers – John and Rick – were named Cawthron Freshwater Champions at an awards ceremony in Wellington last week. The twins have spent almost 30 years turning their Kati Kati farm into an environmental exemplar. Rick told Bryan about their journey and the importance their catchment group had in helping them. 

Senior reporters Richard Rennie and Neal Wallace join Bryan to talk about Fonterra’s latest milk price forecasts, the frustration at the slow progress of methane inhibitors through the regulatory system and the state of sheep and beef farmer finances.

Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick gives an update on how changes to immigration laws impact farmers. After initial reservations, he says the amendments to the Accredited Employer Work Visa are good for farmers, but only if the paperwork is done correctly.

It’s been almost a year since Westpac introduced its Sustainable Farm Loan to the market, which gives farmers a discount on their interest rate in return for meeting certain standards. Head of agribusiness Tim Henshaw joins Bryan to discuss the types of work borrowers are undertaking. Flood protection, drought resilience and emissions reductions are the three prominent areas he’s seen. Federated F...

It’s been almost a year since Westpac introduced its Sustainable Farm Loan to the market, which gives farmers a discount on their interest rate in return for meeting certain standards. Head of Agribusiness Tim Henshaw joins Bryan to discuss the types of work borrowers are undertaking. Flood protection, drought resilience and emissions reductions are the three prominent areas he’s seen.

Senior reporter Richard Rennie gives an update on that Zespri SunGold shipment found with mice in the hold and also unpacks the recent report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that looks at land-use change and the emissions trading scheme.

Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre says the emotional toll of increased pressure on farmers from their banks is worrying and he’s urging parliamentarians to launch an inquiry into the rural banking sector. 

Rob Hewett has been a fixture in the boardrooms of farming companies and co-ops for almost two decades. After speaking at the recent Institute of Directors leadership conference, he talks with Bryan about the importance of good governance, how a board interacts with management and how market evolution is tackled by NZ exporters. Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams admits to having...

Rob Hewett has been a fixture in the boardrooms of farming companies and co-ops for almost two decades. After speaking at the recent Institute of Directors leadership conference, he talks with Bryan about the importance of good governance, how a board interacts with management and how market evolution is tackled by NZ exporters.

Senior reporter Richard Rennie gives an update on the leading news stories including a new report on regenerative farming, the continued lull in port activity and more job cuts in the science sector.

Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams admits to having a few nerves about packing down in the front row alongside Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford and national dairy chair Richard McIntyre, when a farming team takes on a team of politicians in a rugby fundraiser for cyclone-hit farmers later this month.

This week we chat with with Katrina Roberts, who is the new Dairy Woman of the Year. She’s a Waikato vet, working with dairy farmers to not only maintain cow health but also improve the efficiency of their farm systems. Katrina also has a background in research and is keen to show aspiring veterinarians that cattle beat cats hands down when it comes to job satisfaction. Federated Farmers arable ch...

Senior reporter Hugh Stringleman wraps up the dairy commodity season for us, following this week’s GDT auction, the second to last of the season. 

This week we chat with with Katrina Roberts, who is the new Dairy Woman of the Year. She’s a Waikato vet, working with dairy farmers to not only maintain cow health but also improve the efficiency of their farm systems. Katrina also has a background in research and is keen to show aspiring veterinarians that cattle beat cats hands down when it comes to job satisfaction.

Federated Farmers arable chair David Birkett joins us to talk about the arable industry awards, which are open to nominations now. As well as grower of the year awards for maize, cereal and seed there are also special awards recognising teams, environmental endeavours and agronomy.

Sustainability can be a huge topic but where do you practically begin and how can you find the balance between running a sustainable and profitable farm? In the latest Farmers Weekly In Focus partner episode, Bryan Gibson chats to Ballance farm sustainability manager Angus Dowson, to find out what farmers can do to jumpstart their sustainability journey while still being profitable.

In Focus this week: • Senior reporter Richard Rennie has the latest on the bird flu strain that’s now i nfecting dairy herds in the United States . Researchers here warn that while we’re an isolated nation, migratory birds still pose a threat to our industry too. • Wool Impact chief executive Andy Caughey has just returned from the International Wool Textile organisation conference in Adelaide. He...

AgriZero head of strategy and investment Ruth Leary is back from a series of agritech conferences in San Francisco. She tells Bryan that our work on ruminant methane has the world watching and farmers should be proud of the progress they’ve made.