The Country

This week on McKay on Sport, we discuss the All Blacks’ test selection and whether a Grand Slam will make the year a success. Plus, the Dame Noeline Taurua netball saga, and the Wayleggo Cup in Ashburton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our political commentator ponders the artist formerly known as Prince Andrew, Trump and Luxon at Apec and Winston being a grumpy old man barking at cars and yelling at clouds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Miles Hurrell, Emma Poole, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Mark Copeland, and Chris Russell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra’s chief executive comments on the overwhelming YES vote from Fonterra farmer shareholders to sell the consumer brands business to Lactalis. The deal was expected to deliver a tax-free capital return of about $3.2 billion to 8000-plus shareholding farms throughout New Zealand. The average return to farmer shareholders would be around $392,000. That’s about 0.7% of GDP. But not...

Today’s farmer panel is one man down, but it does feature the 2023 FMG Young Farmer of the Year and Waikato vet and dairy farmer.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a cold and wet Waikato, one of our leading primary sector academics talks Fonterra, generators and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation conference she attended in Rome on our behalf.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the New Zealand Dog Trial Test Team captain.   The annual Trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial Test runs over two days from tomorrow at the Ashburton A&P Show, battling it out to win the prestigious Wayleggo Cup.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks Trump, record lamb and beef prices, why net zero is an ideology, not a policy, and agriculture topping the Uni student satisfaction survey. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Ray Smith, Todd Charteris, Tracy Brown, Hunter McGregor, Jack Jordon, and Blair Drysdale. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Director General of MPI on helping weather-battered farmers, and why our new methane emissions targets are absolutely achievable without reducing animal protein production.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank’s chief executive comments on tomorrow’s Fonterra shareholder vote, the adverse weather, and his upcoming trip to the Windy City - Chicago, as opposed to Invercargill.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chair of DairyNZ addresses the animal welfare issues surrounding cows not being milked (or being milked OAD) because of power cuts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Shanghai-based correspondent is hopeful Trump can cut a trade deal with President Xi at Apec, for the good of us all.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This King Country sheep and beef farmer is also New Zealand's top axeman. He won the Stihl Timbersports World Championship   individual event in Milan, Italy, last weekend for the first time. He went one better than his frustratingly close second-place finish at last year’s event.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Southland arable farmer says the 2025 spring is, unbelievably, worse than 2024’s awful offering.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Mark Mitchell, Katie Milne, Cameron Bagrie, Damien O'Connor, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Emergency Management updates on the devastation in the deep south and says he is disappointed by some criticism of the Government’s response.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first female president of Federated Farmers, and a good West Coaster, shares her thoughts on the country’s weather woes and Labour’s proposed capital gains tax. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the country’s leading economists discusses Labour’s new capital gains tax policy, the OCR and our exchange rate.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gloves come off as we debate a capital gains tax with Labour’s trade spokesman.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday’s resident weather expert on a Tuesday with some much-needed good news for farmers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Shane Jones, Miles Hurrell, Jane Smith, and Emma Higgins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Wayne Langford, Stu Duncan, Stu Loe, Andrew Hoggard, Hamish McKay, and Barry Soper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The president of Federated Farmers updates on a brutal weather week down on the farm.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s farmer panel pits Otago against Canterbury, just like tomorrow’s NPC final. But in the meantime, there’s the small matter of the weather to talk about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.