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ABOUT COUNTRYWIDE CONNECT

CountryWide CONNECT is a daily rural video and audio livestreamed show broadcast from 11am – 1pm Monday-Friday 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 cover news, views, politics but most importantly in-depth technical farming advice to help improve farmers bottom lines!

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FULL SHOW - 7th July 2026

CountryWide Connect - Show Summary

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden, discussing the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill following its third reading, and what the changes mean ...for New Zealand farmers.

Phill Hunt, Chair and Otago Trustee for the Rural Support Trust, provides an update from the ground on the support being offered to farmers affected by recent severe weather.

Blair "Blocka" Drysdale, owner of Hopefield Hemp, joins us to discuss New Zealand's new hemp regulations and what they mean for the industry's future.

DAIRY Country Podcast, with Anne Lee and Canterbury dairy farmer Fraser Tasker, discussing the benefits and practicalities of a grass-based wintering system.

Green Party Agriculture spokesperson Steve Abel discusses the party's call to ban synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and why it believes the policy is necessary to improve freshwater quality.

Federated Farmers Freshwater spokesperson Mark Hooper responds to the Green Party's proposal to ban synthetic nitrogen fertiliser as part of its Drink, Swim, Fish policy and outlines the farming sector's concerns.

Dr Holly Blue, Head of Veterinary Services – Equine at the New Zealand Veterinary Association, joins us to discuss the North Island strangles outbreak, what horse owners need to know, and the steps being taken to limit the spread of the disease.

Tony Trewinnard from Blue Skies Weather, bringing us the latest weather situation update and what farmers can expect over the coming days.

WANT TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW LIVE (11am-1pm NZST) ON THE GO? Download CountryWide Connect mobile app to stream the show via Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Or try the voice command ‘Play CountryWide Connect’ on Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/countrywide-connect/id6761033881

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.co.countrywide&hl=en_NZShow More

FULL SHOW - 7th July 2026

7th June 2026 // Rural News

Greens propose synthetic nitrogen phase-out and stocking rate reductions in water policy
NZ-India FTA already lifting export volumes
Strangles outbreak detected in North Island thoroughbreds

WANT TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW LIVE (11am-1pm ...NZST) ON THE GO? Download CountryWide Connect mobile app to stream the show via Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Or try the voice command ‘Play CountryWide Connect’ on Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/countrywide-connect/id6761033881

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.co.countrywide&hl=en_NZ

Greens propose synthetic nitrogen phase-out and stocking rate reductions in water policy

The Green Party has released its water election policy, proposing to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, reduce stocking rates on a catchment basis and protect thirty percent of New Zealand's ocean — drawing immediate fire from the agriculture sector.

Co-leader Marama Davidson says the Drink, Swim, Fish policy is aimed at restoring river health and safe drinking water, pointing to up to one-hundred-thousand people a year getting sick from unsafe drinking water and declining fish populations.

The policy also proposes strengthening wastewater discharge rules, phasing out bottom trawling and reviewing the Quota Management System toward ecosystem-based fisheries management.

NZ-India FTA already lifting export volumes

New Zealand exporters are already seeing gains from the India Free Trade Agreement before it has even come into force, with Trade Minister Todd McClay saying a strong halo effect is driving early momentum.

Apple exports are the standout — volumes have jumped sixty-three percent since negotiations began, with India climbing from New Zealand's seventh-largest apple market to fourth. Once the FTA takes effect, apple tariffs will halve to twenty-five percent from day one on an initial quota of thirty-two-thousand-five-hundred tonnes.

Kiwifruit growers are also positioned for gains, with the deal delivering tariff-free access within a quota rising to fifteen-thousand tonnes by year six. The industry expects around one-hundred-and-twenty-five million dollars in tariff savings over five years.

Other early signs include Matariki Forests sending its first log shipment to India since 2020, Indian wool delegations visiting New Zealand, and Indian visitor arrivals reaching new highs.

Strangles outbreak detected in North Island thoroughbreds

Equine vets are urging horse owners to stay alert after a Strangles outbreak has been confirmed across twelve properties in the North Island — eleven in Waikato and one in Auckland directly linked to the cluster.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association says the outbreak remains confined to the thoroughbred population and the risk to the wider horse population is currently considered low. Race meets and sport horse events are continuing safely under monitoring.

Strangles spreads rapidly through direct contact with infected horses, contaminated equipment, clothing and hands. Vets are urging owners to monitor for fever, nasal discharge, swollen glands and loss of appetite — and to isolate any suspected cases immediately.

The NZVA says a thermometer is the most important tool right now — any fever after movement or contact with unfamiliar horses should be treated as Strangles until proven otherwise.Show More

Tony Trewinnard - Settled weather to follow this system

Dr Holly Blue - ‘Don’t panic, remain vigilant’: Strangles outbreak update

Mark Hooper - Feds name Greens fert phase out policy ‘completely mad’

Steve Abel - Greens respond to backlash over fert phase out policy

Blair Drysdale - 'It was a hell of a rigamarole': Changes simplify hemp growing

Phill Hunt - Where there's support for weather event recovery

Brook van Velden - ‘Let’s take death seriously’: Health and safety bill passes

FULL SHOW - 6th July 2026

6th July 2026 // Rural News

Heavy rain and snow put farmers on alert
Tom Slee crowned FMG Young Farmer of the Year in New Plymouth
Red meat sector urges trade focus ahead of November election

WANT TO LISTEN ...TO THE SHOW LIVE (11am-1pm NZST) ON THE GO? Download CountryWide Connect mobile app to stream the show via Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Or try the voice command ‘Play CountryWide Connect’ on Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/countrywide-connect/id6761033881

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.co.countrywide&hl=en_NZ

Heavy rain and snow put farmers on alert

Farmers across Otago are being urged to put safety first as heavy rain, strong winds and snow lash the region, with weather warnings in place and difficult conditions expected to continue.

The wild weather comes as the Government continues supporting farmers in the Wairarapa following last week's flooding, which damaged roads and bridges and caused significant erosion on hillside farms.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says Ministry for Primary Industries staff remain in regular contact with the local Rural Support Trust to assess the full extent of the damage and determine whether a formal adverse event classification is warranted.

McClay is also working with Associate Agriculture Minister Mike Butterick, a Wairarapa farmer himself, to ensure the region is prepared for further heavy rain forecast this week.

Farmers in all affected regions are being encouraged to move stock to safer ground where necessary, review feed and supply plans, and prioritise animal welfare during what the Minister describes as a particularly challenging stretch of winter.

Farmers needing support can contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254, while animal welfare advice is available through MPI on 0800 00 83 33.

Tom Slee crowned FMG Young Farmer of the Year in New Plymouth

Otago Southland dairy farmer Tom Slee has been crowned the Season 58 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, claiming New Zealand's most prestigious farming title at the Grand Final in New Plymouth on Saturday night.

The twenty-nine-year-old mounted a dramatic comeback in the final Agri-Knowledge buzzer round, surging from third place to claim the title by ten points over runner-up Jack Taggart from Aorangi, with Cam Clayton from Waikato Bay of Plenty finishing third.

Slee becomes the fourteenth winner from Otago Southland and the third member of his family to take the title — following his father Richard Slee in 1999 and uncle Simon Hopcroft in 2004. In a fitting echo of history, his father also staged a late comeback during his own winning campaign.

Slee's prize haul exceeded ninety-thousand dollars, including top honours in Agri-business and the Agri-Knowledge challenge.

Red meat sector urges trade focus ahead of November election

New Zealand's red meat sector is calling on all parties to make trade a priority heading into November's election, with non-tariff barriers still estimated to cost the sector one-point-five billion dollars annually.

MIA independent chair Nathan Guy says the sector is forecast to generate fourteen-point-one billion dollars in export revenue this year and reaches more than a hundred markets worldwide.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland says the sector contributes seventeen-point-five billion dollars to GDP and supports more than a hundred-and-twenty-thousand jobs — with one-hundred-and-thirty-three million dollars flowing through the New Zealand economy every day.Show More

Todd McClay - Trade Minister: India PM visit to NZ ‘very positive sign’

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FULL SHOW - 7th July 2026