The Country

The Electric Cherries grower who was recognised last night at the New Zealander of the Year Awards.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The managing director of Origin Capital Partners, a Kiwifruit Managed Fund, on the prospect of a very good third season in a row for the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s brother and sister farmer panel features the 2022 and 2023 Young Farmers of the Year - dairy farmers at the opposite ends of the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday’s weatherman from Earth Sciences NZ. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Winston Peters, Jane Smith, Peter Newbold, and Chris Russell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We get the NZ First leader’s take on the state of our economy. Does the most grumpy and curmudgeonly politician in the land want to be our oldest PM? And why is he slamming retiring Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Otago farmer and former winner of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards reckons it’s taken a war for this country to realise that net zero will leave us cold, hungry and poor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take our monthly look at the state of the rural market with PGG Wrightson’s General Manager, Livestock and Real Estate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent says weight loss drugs are great news for dairy farmers and that rain is trumping Trump on sheep farms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this DairyNZ Dairy Update, Michelle talks to Shaun Hazelton, Senior Regional Policy Advisor at DairyNZ ,about effluent management.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Todd McClay, Mike McIntyre, Todd Charteris, Eric Gorlier, and Hunter McGregor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Agriculture and Trade agrees that the disruption in the Middle East makes an FTA with India even more important. Does he have an update, and how much of our trade is currently stalled? Are there alternative trade routes and markets, and how bad could the cost of fuel and fertiliser get? Do we have a Plan B for Kapuni and Marsden Point to make us more resilient? And finally, what ab...

Jarden analyst reviews last night’s GDT auction, up 0.1%, the sixth consecutive rise. While the result remained basically unchanged, “unders and overs” were all over the place. Whole milk powder down 4%, skim milk powder up 5.2%, anhydrous milk fat up 6.4%, butter down 0.9%, and cheddar up 0.1%.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank’s chief executive says that, following a dip in the final quarter of 2025, farmer confidence has reversed course and inched higher in the first Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey of the year. The latest result extends a lengthy run of elevated farmer confidence, with net positive readings recorded across the last seven quarters dating back to September 2024. See omnystudio.com/listene...

We catch up with Nestle’s Swiss-based Head of Procurement Commodities and Sustainability, who’s in the country to visit Synlait, Fonterra and Open Country Dairy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Shanghai-based correspondent updates the Chinese economy, which is faring better than many because of its closer ties to Iran for oil supplies.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Being Farmstrong , Michelle Watt sits down with Farmstrong Champion  Deanne Parkes to talk about women’s mental health on and around the farm. They dig into why so many women just keep pushing through, what that “invisible load” really looks like, and how taking just a moment to pause and check in with yourself can make a massive difference. They  als...

Jamie Mackay talks to Cameron Bagrie, Damien O'Connor, Todd Clark, and Kelvin Wickham. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Independent economist on the exchange (down) and interest rates (up), fuel and fertiliser prices, and a change in world order. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask Labour’s Trade spokesperson if, as a good Irishman on St Patrick’s Day, he’s looking forward to a pint of Guinness and a good argument later in the day. We also discuss the trade implications of the Middle East conflict and reminisce about the Carless Days of 1979-80.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Kentucky-based US farming correspondent is looking forward to spring and to an end to the Iran War. He also reflects on his recent farming tour of New Zealand and what he learned on his travels.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Ballance Agri-Nutrients comments on the supply and price issues for the fertiliser industry as a result of the Middle East conflict.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Peter McBride, David Seymour, John Fagan, Tom Young, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fonterra Chair on the sudden resignation (after eight years) of his chief executive, Miles Hurrell - when did he find out, despite rumours swirling for several weeks? Is Miles heading to NZR? Has Fonterra got a ready-made internal replacement candidate? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Acting Prime Minister (and Act Party leader) says the United States has not asked New Zealand for military support in the Strait of Hormuz.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.