Podcasts

This week we catch up with Country-Wide’s Spring issue Home Block columnists from around the country to find out what’s happening in their patch. From yearling bull sales and cyclone recovery in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, to challenging lambing conditions in Southland, our four farmers discuss the challenges and rewards of farming in each of their regions.

Can we find common ground to solve the challenges facing the primary industries? The Common Ground platform has launched following a thought leadership report from KPMG looking at whether industry good bodies are good for industry. The report identified 150 different organisations that have been established to drive forward positive outcomes for farmers - but are they working in a way that will take farming into the future?

With a goal of Predator Free 2050, it can seem ambitious with only 25 years to go. Is it a fantasy, or can it become our reality? In this episode we catch up with different groups working to tackle pests and weeds across New Zealand, from animals like ferrets, goats and possums, to weeds like wilding conifers.
Hear from Pete Oswald from Central Otago Wilding Conifer Control Group; Mike Perry from DOC’s new National Wild Animals Management Programme; and James Ross, Professor of Wildlife Management at Lincoln University.

We have less than five seasons until overseas 2030 targets begin to impact our overseas exports, and we may still yet need to be able to minimise and measure our own emissions domestically. With this in mind, farmers might be wondering what tools are out there to help them tackle their emissions, in ways they integrate into their existing systems.
Hear from two agricultural organisations, AgriZeroNZ and Ruminant Biotech, working to develop the tools to minimise methane emissions, and a farmer utilising genetics to breed low-methane sheep.

Investing off-farm in property or shares can be a daunting prospect, however it’s an increasingly appealing way to future proof your funds and diversify wealth away from land. Navigating how to start, what to invest in, and how to manage the risks should be top of mind for anyone interested in investing.
Learn more about how managing your wealth can help with farm succession, retirement, and preparing your rainy day fund. We also cover the importance of estate planning and insurance when it comes to key people in your business. Hear from Financial Advisor Carissa Fairborther, Scott McKenzie from PMG Funds, and Wealth Management Advisor Angus Marks.

When the traditional income streams are not delivering enough to the bottom line, is it time to diversify into activities that don’t rely on the cyclical nature of farm commodities? It can be hard to know what options are out there to diversify onfarm income, and how they can be integrated into your farming system. In this episode hear about different options for diversifying, from raising goats for cashmere to horticulture and viticulture. We speak to Olivia Sanders from NZ Cashmere; Che Charteris from Craigmore Sustainables; and Marcus Bousfield from ANZ.

Could solar farming be the next value-add option for New Zealand farmers? Agrivoltaics, which sees dual use of farmland between solar farming and traditional farming, is gaining traction as a viable way of diversifying income.
Hear what’s already happening in this space, including the Lincoln University energy farm project, how Lodestone Energy is partnering with farmers to expand their solar farm network, and listen to farmer Hamish Hills, who researched, financed and installed his own solar setup on his Golden Bay dairy farm.

Farmers looking to implement a value-add business onfarm might want to consider looking into agritourism - with options such as self-contained holiday homes, glamping, and sunflower fields just to name a few. What you might consider ordinary on your farm, might just be extraordinary to an overseas or domestic customer.
But where do you get started? And does it really bring in enough revenue to make it worth it? Hear from three experts in both the consultancy and agritourism space, covering where to start, what to consider, and what the rewards are.

Tough times in New Zealand and globally have taken their toll on the luxury goods market, and New Zealand’s merino sector is no exception.
In this episode, we hear from those who know merino best, and how they’re planning to overcome challenges related to financial recession, and overseas regulations, that demand higher quality and processing accountability. We also look at how new technologies in the AI and genetics space could help enhance merino quality. Hear from NZ Merino CEO Angus Street, neXtgen Agri Co-Founder & Director Mark Ferguson, and Devold New Zealand General Manager Craig Smith.

Protecting our farm businesses for future generations is front of mind for many in the farming world, including when it comes to land use, and freshwater degradation.
Guests Lee Matheson and Tanira Kingi have both been part of Our Land And Water (Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai) research projects, and spoke at the symposium held in May, to discuss ways farmers already are and can continue to protect their greatest asset: the land. Whether this is getting involved in protecting your local catchment, or diversifying land use, the opportunities are out there.