Podcasts

With Golden Shears 2024 being packed with crowds and the sheer number of women coming into both shearing and wool-handling, how do we keep stoking the fire of talent whilst we wait for a return to better wool prices? 

Is it possible to truly forecast a drought? Country-Wide editor, Rebecca Greaves speaks to three passionate industry experts working to support New Zealand farmers to avoid being caught out by drought by staying one step ahead of mother nature. Guests include Ben Noll from NIWA, Kristin Kirkpatrick of B+LNZ and Vanessa Winning, chief executive of Irrigation NZ.

In a special bonus episode, independent nutrient advisor Melinda Turner helps balance animal health with the soil nutrients we are applying to ensure we aren’t curbing the animal’s performance in the meantime.

Country-Wide editor, Rebecca Greaves is taking their farm through integrated farm plan workshops in 2024. In this episode she speaks with Rachel Joblin of BakerAg, Sara Clarke from the Ministry for the Environment, and Annie Cates, Wairarapa sheep & beef farmer, about what integrated farm plans are, how they work, how the Ministry for the Environment plans to align with MPI to achieve them.

A recent national report showed that a third of sheep farmers have triple drench resistance. Rebecca Greaves and Sarah Perriam-Lampp uncover what that means for you, discussing the financial impacts of drench resistance with Wairarapa vet Sara Sutherland, drench management plans with Clive Bingham of Zoetis NZ, and worm control with Ginny Dodunski, Wormwise Programme Manager.

What you measure you can manage right? But how do you know if you have the right farm management tool to guide you and your farm team towards recording and reporting success? Hear from our four farm management softwares on a panel over lunch and ask your questions as they explain how they are different and the best option for you.

When you are looking at putting the axe through on-farm costs, one of the biggest items that is under scrutiny is fertiliser. To balance your decision making, take a listen to how a farmer, soil scientist and independent advisor explain how to reduce your spend on fertiliser without sacrificing soil fertility. 

Rebecca Greaves, Country-Wide Editor, along with her co-host Sarah Perriam-Lampp discuss how to navigate tough times in sheep & beef farming with top tips from experts Ed Harrison, Dr Todd White and Frazer Weir.

In episode 5 of the Country-Wide Podcast, Editor of Country-Wide, Rebecca Greaves along with her co-host Sarah Perriam-Lampp discuss the rebuilding of the East Coast and how to build back our farms with more resilience.

In this episode, we celebrate our working dogs, those loyal companions who play a vital role on our farms.