REX

The clean up from Northland to the Waikato and Coromandel is ongoing after devastating weather. Many farmers and growers are still assessing the damage and cost. Neil Bateup, Chair of the Waikato and South Auckland Primary Industries Adverse Event Cluster joins us now… Neil firstly how's it looking on the ground? What are you hearing from farmers and growers?

New Zealand is one of only a few island nations that could continue to produce enough food to feed its population in a nuclear winter, researchers have found. Professor Wilson joins us on the show to tell us more.

On today’s episode;  We assess the extreme dry in Southland with good friend of the show Ben Dooley…  We find out what Irrigation NZ CEO Vanessa Winning has to say about the recent flooding in the North Island…  And we look at how the ag industry can attract more University graduates to meet industry demands

We chat with one of the country’s best-known artists Sir Grahame Sydney, who’s joined the battle to protect Central Otago from pine trees…  We take a look at the Horticulture Action Plan which aims to grow the value of horticulture production…  And we put the spotlight on a dairy research facility that’s overseen some of the most significant clinical trials in NZ ag history.

New Zealand universities have experienced a downturn in student numbers in recent years, resulting in too few agricultural and horticultural graduates to meet industry demands…  And it’s something that’s raising a sense of unease for the future of the primary industries…  Animal Plant and Health Chief Executive Mark Ross recently penned a column about it and joins us now to discuss it further.

Time to head to the beehive now for our weekly political segment… except this politician is more likely to be in the tractor, or the dairy shed…  ACT’s agriculture spokesperson and Ruawai Dairy Farmer, Mark Cameron

Another drought could be on the cards for Southland this summer as the big dry starts to bite, with soil moisture well below normal and rainfall scarce…  Tiwai Point near Bluff has only recorded 1mm this year; that’s the driest start to a year recorded since records began in 1975… And parts of Invercargill had only recorded 12mm this month, which was the driest start to the year since 1998…  Sheep...

Alright, let’s kick things off with a look at what’s happening in the rural print media - we do that with the Managing Editor of NZ Dairy Exporter and Country Wide, Tony Leggett.

IrrigationNZ claims the recent flooding disasters have demonstrated the country's need to better mitigate the impacts of climate change, with water management playing a significant part…  It wants the Resource Management Act reform to enable critical water infrastructure following flood disasters…  Irrigation NZ CEO Vanessa Winning joins us now to chat about this some more… 

Well, it’s been a big week in horticulture, from dealing with the unrelenting rain to the launch of a new plan with the target to double the value of horticulture production to 12 billion dollars by 2035…  The new Horticulture - Growing Together 2035 - Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan Strategy, sets out the pathway to achieve what it calls the ambitious but achievable goal, with horticulture expo...

The extreme weather events of the last year or two could be a bit of a wake-up call when it comes to preparing for climate change across the agriculture sector…  Over the last week alone, as Auckland food growers experienced some of the heaviest rainfall on record, Southland and Otago food producers sweltered in a near drought…  And it all impacts our food production… which puts prices up at the c...

One of the country’s most prominent artists has joined a battle to protect Central Otago from pine trees…  Sir Grahame Sydney is one of 37 people or organisations who submitted against the proposal to plant 66 hectares of pine trees for carbon on Lammermoor Station…  We’ve discussed the effects of carbon farming extensively on REX so it’s our pleasure to welcome Sir Grahame Sydney onto the show…

Time for this week’s View From the Top Paddock, and it’s a very good morning to the Chair of the Meat Industry Association and Apiculture NZ, Horowhenua farmer Nathan Guy

The Floods, Kopu Road, a bit of tennis GOAT chat and good shows on the telly to watch while you put your feet up this weekend... '1923' perhaps? - all covered by REX Today Host Dom George as he jumps in alongside Bex and Hamish on Saturdays edition of REX.

Much of the dairy industry’s best practice when it comes to the health of our cow herds can be attributed to the Cognosco Animal Health & Production Research company based in Morrinsville…  You’ve possibly never heard of it, but since 1997,  it’s overseen some of the most significant clinical trials in dairy production and health, with over 240 on-farm trials and projects…  Managing director a...

Latest figures from Stats NZ show tomato prices in New Zealand have increased by more than 135% in the last three years…  There’s plenty of reasons why that’s the case, and REX Today host Dom George caught up with Tomatoes NZ Chair Barry O’Neil to find out exactly what those reasons are…  

Waikato’s largest agricultural vehicle training provider, Ag Drive, has signed an agreement with Agricademy to deliver its award-winning operator training to even more of the agriculture sector. Alister Shennan, Agricademy Managing Director joins Dom to tell us more. And REX host and former Sports broadcaster Hamish McKay joins Dom to talk all things Sport on a Friday.

REX host and former Sports broadcaster Hamish McKay joins Dom to talk all things Sport on a Friday.

Waikato’s largest agricultural vehicle training provider, Ag Drive, has signed an agreement with Agricademy to deliver its award-winning operator training to even more of the agriculture sector. Alister Shennan, Agricademy Managing Director joins Dom to tell us more.

A group of five shearers from rural Southland and Otago are taking to the stand this weekend for 32 hours. The 24-hour charity shear-a-thon... Shear 4 a Cause will take place at Wohelo Station in West Otago... raising money for charity. Organiser Jared Manihera joins us now

Today is world Wetlands Day... and well with all the rain over the last week it's a pretty relevent day to talk about!! Fish and Game Chief Executive Corina Jordan joins us now tell us more.

Today is world Wetlands Day... and well with all the rain over the last week it's a pretty relevent day to talk about!! Fish and Game Chief Executive Corina Jordan joins us now tell us more. And a group of five shearers from rural Southland and Otago are taking to the stand this weekend for 32 hours. The 24-hour charity shear-a-thon... Shear 4 a Cause will take place at Wohelo Station in West Otag...

Chris Irons, the Federated Farmers Waikato Chair, Wednesday Wellbeing with Craig "Wiggy" Wiggins, and Kirit Makan the Pukekohe Vegetables Associate President all on REX Today.

The King Country has also been inundated with rain and red warnings. And after a big wet, it's not looking too good for some farmers whose properties have been extensively damaged. Federated Farmers provincial chair Chris Irons joins us now to tell us about some of the damage the region is seeing.