Podcasts

In this episode, Dr Lucy Bell discusses her PhD research into legume species that can thrive in hill and high country soils affected by high aluminium toxicity. She explains why traditional options like lucerne struggle in these environments, highlights the standout performance of species such as Lotus pedunculatus and crimson clover, and outlines what this could mean for improving nitrogen supply, forage quality and animal performance in challenging farming systems.

In this episode, Rebecca Furzeland shares how she and her husband Andrew have built one of New Zealand’s standout large-scale calf rearing operations, combining smart infrastructure, tight systems and strong supplier relationships to rear 3,500 calves a year. She outlines the design decisions that drive efficiency, the early life nutrition that underpins animal health, and why clear communication with dairy farmers is the critical lever for lifting performance.

This special episode of CountryWide explores the first independent evaluation of Halter’s virtual fencing and herding technology, now used on more than 600,000 dairy and beef cows across New Zealand, the United States and Australia. An AgFirst and Transform Agri study of ten high-performing dairy farms shows clear gains in pasture utilisation, labour efficiency, animal performance and environmental outcomes.

Sarah Perriam-Lampp speaks with James Allen from AgFirst, Julian Gaffney from Transform Agri and Halter’s Head of Corporate Farming, Steve Crowhurst, to unpack the findings, including an average 13 percent lift in farm profit before tax and how top operators are using the system.

In this episode, Louise Cook, Fonterra’s Environment Programme Lead for On-Farm Excellence, unpacks how farmers boost efficiency while cutting emissions in a major industry project showing farmers can cut greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen surplus without sacrificing profitability. She explains the practices that lift efficiency with homegrown feed utilisation is the standout lever, and how top farms turn the same inputs into far stronger outputs.

What’s driving smarter, more strategic weaning decisions?

In this episode, Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson, breaks down how to avoid costly weaning checks, and the practical steps farmers can take to keep lambs tracking forward while protecting ewe condition for their next tupping.

What are the key drivers behind New Zealand’s 47% reduction in antibiotic sales?

In this episode, Dr Annabel Harris, Chair of the NZVA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee explains how cross-industry collaboration and learnings internationally have helped shape on-farm practice of antibiotic use to protect New Zealand farmers from the threat of antibiotic resistance.

Daniel Judd’s interest in soil management grew from his experience as a conventional dairy farmer and curiosity about evolving sector practices. His 2025 Kellogg’s Report explores the ‘soils gap’, showing how science, commerce, and culture shape decisions across conventional, regenerative, and organic systems.

In this episode, Sarah speaks with Daniel about what drives differences in farmer approaches, challenges in soil science funding, and how beliefs, trust, and experience influence decisions. He also shares how self-learning, collaboration, and critical thinking can boost soil health and profitability in a changing sector.

Hildreth Romneys is a multigenerational Hawke’s Bay stud focused on breeding resilient, productive sheep suited to New Zealand’s diverse conditions. With more than 60 years of Romney breeding behind them, the Hildreth family continues to prioritise key traits like fertility, survival, growth, and tolerance to facial eczema and worms.

In this episode, stud breeder Marcus Hildreth joins Jo Scott to discuss how genetics, data, and emerging tools such as AI are helping lift flock performance. He also shares insights on the growing interest in Wiltshires; why he’s keeping the breed pure, and how technology and time remain the most powerful drivers of genetic progress.

Dr Jordi Hoult’s interest in leadership grew from her military family upbringing and her own experiences navigating the food and fibre sector. Her Kellogg research shows that many mid-career people in their 30s to 50s are ready to lead but face barriers that stop them from taking opportunities, leaving a “missing middle” in sector leadership.

In this episode, Sarah speaks with Jordi about what’s creating this gap, why mentorship is often more valuable than formal courses, and how the sector can better recognise, support, and develop the people who will shape the future of food and fibre in New Zealand.

WormFec Gold is a national breeder group working to combat drench resistance by selecting sheep with genetics for lower faecal egg counts, cleaner back ends and strong growth, helping farmers reduce drench use while maintaining performance.

In this episode, Waikato breeder and WormFec Gold spokesperson Kate Broadbent joins Jo Scott to explain how genetics, collaboration and farmer education are reshaping parasite management. She outlines the difference between resistance and resilience, why measuring matters, and what commercial farmers should be asking their ram breeders if they want to future-proof productivity, animal health and drench effectiveness.