CountryWide Connect

New Zealand's new daily video/radio show

CountryWide CONNECT is the latest innovative new daily rural video/radio show broadcast as a lunchtime livestream from 11am – 1pm Monday-Friday.
The show will be hosted by respected award-winning agribusiness broadcasters, Sarah Perriam-Lampp (formerly Sarah’s Country & Rural Exchange) and Andy Thompson (formerly The Rural Round-Up).
Over two hours, Sarah & Andy will cover news, views, politics but most importantly in-depth technical farming advice to help improve farmers bottom lines!

How do I listen and/or watch?

LIVE:
We are about to launch the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app for iPhone and Android (the first for rural media!). We will have the download links here soon. You can listen via CarPlay or Anroid Auto if your on the go.

But also as live radio on your Amazon Alexa or Google Home smart device by saying “Hey Google, Play CountryWide CONNECT”

And it will be a video stream on YouTube, here on our website as well as on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIN.

We will be taking live texts and comments, prize giveaways, and lots of exciting guests in store for you! Its the place to tune in and connect with your farming community whereever you are – rain, hail shine!

ON-DEMAND:
Every show and the individual interviews will be available via podcast and YouTube for those that like to pick and choose.

The best way to stay up-to-date your favourite way to listen / watch, subscribe to CountryWide Insider email newsletter and subscribe to CountryWide on social media.

Listen On Demand

Watch On Demand

FULL SHOW - 17th April 2026

Luxon Under Pressure – Richard Harman on National leadership questions, India FTA politics and shifting poll dynamics.

Silver Fern Farms Turnaround – Dan Boulton on profit recovery, Middle East disruption and ...red meat market pressure.

Dairy Sector Outlook – Tracy Brown on the season ahead and key takeaways from a strong SIDE event.

Rearing at Scale – Rebecca Furzeland on calf rearing systems and making it work at volume.

Farm Environment Finals Set – Sarah Harris on regional awards wrap and the road to Christchurch.

Durum Wheat Breakthrough – Ivan Lawrie on innovation and new opportunities for arable farming.

Ag Sector GE Debate – Duncan Humm on genetic engineering and animal welfare trade-offs.

Sports Panel – Dave Worsley and Brian Ashby wrap the week in sport.Show More

FULL SHOW - 17th April 2026

Big weekend ahead: Warriors test, Super Rugby clashes and Supercars in CHCH // Sports Panel

Ag sector debates GE and animal welfare trade-offs // Duncan Humm, Co-Founder, NZ Farmers Facebook

Durum wheat win signals new opportunities for NZ arable sector // Ivan Lawrie, FAR

Farm Environment Awards finals set after strong regionals // Sarah Harris, NZ Farm Environment Trust

DairyNZ sets priorities after strong turnout at SIDE // Tracy Brown - Chair, DairyNZ

Silver Fern Farms profit up, but Gulf disruption tests outlook // Dan Boulton - Silver Fern Farms

Luxon under pressure as FTA politics and polls tighten // Richard Harman - Political Commentator

17th April 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

Emissions Fall But Dairy Rises
Greenpeace Takes Aim At Dairy
Native Forest Awards Close Today

Rural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp ...- our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.

Emissions Fall But Dairy Rises

New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions fell slightly in 2024, dropping 0.1 percent on the previous year according to the latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Once forests and carbon sinks are factored in, net emissions fell two percent to 55 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent — continuing a trend that has seen net emissions drop 15 percent since peaking in 2006.

Agricultural emissions, which make up more than half of New Zealand's total, decreased slightly by 0.3 percent — largely driven by falling sheep numbers. However, emissions from cattle rose by 200,000 tonnes as dairy cows produced more milk.

Energy emissions increased after low hydro lake levels forced greater fossil fuel use to generate electricity.

Ministry for the Environment Chief Science Adviser Alison Collins says the inventory helps identify where pressure on the atmosphere is increasing — and where effort needs to be focused.

Greenpeace Takes Aim At Dairy

Greenpeace is using the same inventory data to call for an end to dairy industry expansion, pointing out that while overall agricultural emissions edged down, emissions from intensive dairy farming specifically increased in 2024.

Climate campaigner Sinéad Deighton-O'Flynn says intensive dairy accounts for 26 percent of all agricultural emissions — more than any other single industry — and that growth is equivalent to adding 100,000 cars to New Zealand roads for a full year.

Greenpeace is calling on Fonterra to reduce herd size rather than expand, warning that Canterbury alone is set to add 30,000 cows following recent Government policy changes. Fonterra and DairyNZ have not yet responded publicly to the claims.

Native Forest Awards Close Today

Farmers and land managers across the country have until the end of today to enter or nominate someone for the Growing Native Forests Champions awards, which celebrate those planting and restoring native forests.

The awards, run by the Ministry for Primary Industries, cover six categories including trees on farms, lifestyle blocks, large-scale restoration projects, forestry companies, mana whenua, and catchment or community groups.

Nominations can be submitted at mpi.govt.nz with the winners announced at National Fieldays in Hamilton in June.Show More

Rearing at scale // Rebecca Furzeland - Calf Rearer, Canterbury

FULL SHOW - 16th April 2026