The Country

Jamie Mackay talks to Cameron Bagrie, Scott Mackereth, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Farmer Tom Martin, and Jo Luxton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An independent economist comments on exchange and interest rates, inflation, the fuel crisis and why writing off student loans is not the best use of the education budget.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the winner, alongside his wife Stacey, of the Share Farmers of the Year title at the 2026 NZ Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua. The Mackereths contract milk for Fortuna Group at Edendale, milking 1400 cows on 464ha. Entries for the 2027 awards opened yesterday and close on Dec 6. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask a scientist, who is also a DairyNZ and Ravensdown board member, whether we are getting bang for our buck from the AgriZeroNZ investment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our UK farming correspondent talks tough times down on the farm, a dearth of young British farmers, and whether there could be another Brexit vote under Andy Burnham. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour’s agriculture spokeswoman comments on whether Chloe Swarbrick will be the Minister of Finance, whether farms are exempt from her party’s capital gains tax, and we talk about water storage and changes to the Sharemilkers Act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Rob Hewett, Mike Casey, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, Kevin Barrett, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the AgriZero board chairman to learn more about Farmlands and Alliance joining the AgriZeroNZ partnership, alongside other industry investors that jointly own 50% of AgriZeroNZ: The a2 Milk Company, ANZ, ANZCO, ASB, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party’s Electrify NZ 2.0 policy has been given the tick of approval from Federated Farmers (and the Electric Cherry Guy), which says energy is a major concern for farmers this election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s panel features two dairy farmers with a good off-farm income in Wellington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We stick with the dairy farming theme as we talk farming, footy and organics with a Taranaki cow cocky. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday’s resident weather expert. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Paul Henry, Damien O'Connor, Ben Picton and Winston Peters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Chris Brandolino, Tim Dangen, Tom Slee, Sir David Fagan, Marc Gascoigne, and Barry Soper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s “Friday’s Favourite Weatherman” from Earth Sciences NZ with his long-range forecast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s Southland farmer panel features the 2022 and 2026 Young Farmers of the Year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to a shearing legend, busy fencing on his Te Kūiti farm, ahead of the first event for competition season, the NZ Merino Shears in Alexandra. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month’s Farmstrong farmer is a well-known Cambridge cow cocky who’s biking the length of the country on his Top2Toe2Talk Tour, intending to have 3000 conversations with rural folk.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our political correspondent ponders Winston Peter for Prime Minister! Stranger things have happened. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

The NZ First leader is at his combative best as he educates us on the Indian FTA, National Super, the Opportunity Party, Chloe Swarbrick as Finance Minister, whether he still wants to be Foreign Minister, plus he throws in some free healthy diet advice for good measure! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The director general of MPI comments on methane mitigation and whether we’ve broken our climate change policies. We also discuss El Niño, bird flu, and the yellow-legged hornet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Otago farmer and environmentalist gets stuck into the Opportunity Party and passes judgement on last night’s Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks bird flu, diesel prices, fertiliser prices, wheat prices and whether he’s most looking forward to the NRL Final or the Bledisloe Cup. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Kent Bacus, Ben Picton, Dominic Jones and Colin Hurst. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.