The Country

One year on from Gabrielle and the Weather Gods have a much better week in store for us than 12 months ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The voice behind the FMG Young Farmer Contest reviews the first of regional finals, where Zac Thomas, a 29-year-old sheep, beef and arable farmer is one step closer to taking out one of New Zealand’s most prestigious farming awards after being crowned the Season 56 Otago Southland region winner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ashburton Dairy Farmer competed and completed the two-day Coast to Coast event, finishing in Sumner on Saturday. He was also the 2011 Tasman Young Farmer of the Year (and came third in Masterton), a Former Young Farmer board chair, the current chair of MHV Water, and a Trustee for Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Farmer Tom Martin, Miles Hurrell, Todd McClay, Emma Higgins, and Carlos Bagrie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Nathan Guy, Chris Brandolino, Kirstin Chittock, Jeremy Rookes, Chris Russell, and Barry Soper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chair of the Meat Industry Association comments on falling red meat prices in 2023 - down 11 per cent compared to the previous year - despite increased export volumes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NIWA's weather guy comments on the big dry in Canterbury and beyond and if a break in the weather is on the way for the dry regions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with Hokonui's breakfast host on the ground at lunchtime in Sacha Bond's 9-hour strong wool ewe shearing record attempt, where currently she's one off the world record pace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He may be a bitter, twisted and cynical man but we love our lifestyle/hobby farmer correspondent nonetheless. Today we talk about dry weather, the infrastructure woes of this country and why we're not harvesting our natural resources. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent has his say on "right to disconnect". Plus, we update the situation aboard the live animal export ship marooned of the coast of WA, whether seaweed is the silver bullet for methane reduction and Tay Tay! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our political correspondent looks back on Waitangi week and the reception Winston, David and Shane got. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Carlos Bagrie, Jo Luxton, Jon Pemberton, Peter Nation, and Kevin Mortensen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re joined by one-half of New Zealand’s foremost farming celebrity couple ahead of season 2 of Nadia’s Farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We asked Labour’s agriculture spokeswoman if she has sufficient credentials to do the job, considering her background is in early childhood education. Plus, we find an interesting family connection to political Labour Party royalty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s field days season and, with the Southern Field Days getting underway next week at Waimumu, today we begin the countdown to the “Mother of all Fieldays”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s field days season and, with the Southern Field Days getting underway next week at Waimumu, today we begin the countdown to the “Mother of all Fieldays”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take our monthly look at the state of the livestock markets with the team from PGG Wrightson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Miles Hurrell, Todd McClay, Emma Higgins, Adam Thompson and Craig "Dairy Man" Hickman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask the chief executive of Fonterra if an $8 milk price is on the cards after the latest increase in the GDT auction  - up 4.2 per cent  (WMP +3.4 per cent, butter +10.3 per cent). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Agriculture and Trade says help is at hand for the sheep meat industry and he's bullish about an FTA with India. Plus, we look at challenging trade conditions with China and how the Nats propose to make life easier down on the farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank's Senior Ag Analyst and co-author of the bank's 2024 Agribusiness Outlook - Smooth Sailing or Choppy Waters? - says New Zealand will need to ride the wave of change in 2024, with three prevailing undercurrents - central bank actions, the recovery of the Chinese economy, and geopolitical tensions and conflict. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's farmer panel (and social media influencers) comes to us from Waikato and Mid Canterbury. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Janine Mallon, Tom Martin, Phil Duncan, Jim Hopkins and Steve Hollander.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The owner/operator of Dunedin-based Zest4Travel launches a great new promotion on The Country. Two lucky listeners will win a trip to Chicago valued at $10,000. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our UK farming correspondent comments on the varying reasons for farmer protests, across the English Channel, in Europe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.