The Country

A rural dating app is launching in New Zealand this week, making it a little easier for people in rural and regional communities to meet someone new. Howdy, created by 24-year-old NSW-based farmer and university student Mia Ryan, has already grown to more than 30,000 users since launching in Australia in March 2024. The platform is now opening to New Zealanders for the first time, in ass...

It’s seven sleeps until Fieldays, and we ask a leading primary sector academic about her role in the big Rural Industry Leaders Debate, which is raising money for the Rural Support Trust. We also discuss her latest column, which poses the question: Is diversification always better for NZ farming? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Sir David Ellis, Geoff Maber, Rachel Law, Professor Keith Woodford, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arise, Sir David, Principal of the Te Akau Stud, for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man behind the Power Farming Group has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to agribusiness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take a break from the King’s Birthday Honours List to yarn to just the third woman in the 116-year history of the NZ Dog Trial Champs to lift a national title - in her case, the Straight Hunt with her huntaway Nala. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man whose name is synonymous with agribusiness, academia and Lincoln University has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday’s resident weatherman on a Tuesday. It was a tough long weekend for some with flooding and slips. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of DairyNZ Update, Michelle Watt talks to Steve Veix, Farm Systems Team Manager at DairyNZ, about the ways farmers can prepare and plan ahead for the El Niño weather forecast, and what this weather pattern could mean for farming in different regions. Find out more about El Niño, and how you can plan ahead on the DairyNZ website www.dairynz.co.nz       &...

Jamie Mackay talks to Emma Higgins, Christopher Luxon, David Buick, Richard Allen, and Jane Smith. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Chris Brandolino, Jeremy Rookes, Steve Wyn-Harris, Rachel Shearer, Rocky Hawkins, Allan Paterson, and Barry Soper.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask "Friday’s Favourite Weatherman" whether the run of settled weather will come to an end over the long weekend. Heavy rain and strong winds may reach warning criteria from Sunday onwards. The unsettled weather will bring a warm start to meteorological winter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s farmer panel ponders the dry of Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay, sheep farming hitting new highs, and whether the Government should be funding Moana Pacifica. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The GM of PGG Wrightson Wool says sheep farming is “Back, Baby Back” and so is strong wool! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We update the final day of the New Zealand Dog Trial Championships in Hawke’s Bay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Isuzu’s "Mid Winter Muster" (June 5-7), and it’s your chance to sneak in a great deal on a D-MAX or MU-X before Fieldays. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bazza on the Budget and books. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Richard Allen, Jane Smith, Grant McBeath, Liz Muller, and Chris Russell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra’s new chief executive kicks off his tenure with some very solid Q3 business results, headlined by an opening 26/27 season milk forecast price of $9-75 (midpoint). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist. Today she talks about Angus bulls, a 22% rates rise, and climate change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of niche grower Rockit Apples says the business is halfway through a three-year turnaround strategy, after grower concerns last year about low returns, oversupply and the high cost of production. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Herd-i explains why the AI dairy-cow herd-monitoring business does a much better job than the human eye at body condition scoring and lameness detection.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks State of Origin, the Ag Rich List, and some good rains in NSW ahead of the Super El Nino. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, David Buick, Hunter McGregor, and Riley Kennedy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister ponders today’s OCR announcement, tomorrow’s Budget, Labour’s own goal over horses and ducks, and the NZ First threat in Hawke’s Bay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.