For decades, grazing kept New Zealand’s Crown land in check, supporting healthy landscapes and holding back pests and weeds. But when livestock were removed, those problems exploded. In this episode, Jim Ward and Simon Cameron explain why carefully managed, low-impact grazing could help reverse the decline. Jim is the former manager of Molesworth Station and current Federated Farmers high country co-chair, while Simon is Federated Farmers meat and wool vice chair. They share lesso...

Feral pests like deer pigs are exploding in number across New Zealand, while wilding pines are marching across some of our most iconic landscapes. Farmers are seeing the fallout every day: destroyed pasture, lost production, biosecurity risks, and farmland slowly buried beneath unwanted trees. In this episode we’re joined by Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Richard Dawkins and executive member Ruby Mulinder to unpack the scale of the problem and what it will take to turn the tide. We l...

Running a farm means leadership under pressure is part of the job. When the weather turns, the workload spikes or the unexpected hits, there’s no pause button. Southland leadership trainer and former military veteran Tony Groves helps farmers, team supervisors and rural professionals make better decisions when the heat is on. After a hugely popular first appearance, Tony is back to share new insights from the farm businesses he’s working with right now. We dive into practi...

It’s been more than two years since the Government promised to let young farmers use their KiwiSaver to buy their first home or farm — but nothing has changed. In this episode, we talk with Kylee Smit, a Cambridge-based mortgage adviser who works with many young farmers and rural workers trying to get on the property ladder. Kylee explains why the current KiwiSaver rules don’t work for farmers, the frustration it’s causing across rural communities, and how fixing the system could ...

Contract milking remains a key stepping stone in New Zealand dairying, but what does it take to succeed in this role today? In this episode, Dairy Holdings chief executive Colin Glass shares his experience running one of the country’s largest contract milking systems. He discusses the skills, mindset, and strategies that set top contract milkers apart, how the model is evolving, and practical advice for those starting or growing their careers in dairying.

Alliance Group farmer-shareholders are facing one of the biggest decisions in New Zealand’s red meat sector in decades: whether to approve a proposed $250 million joint venture with Europe’s Dawn Meats Group. In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Keith Woodford, an experienced agribusiness commentator and former Lincoln University professor, to break down what’s on the table. Keith shares his insights on the deal, including its potential benefits, risks, and implications for farmer contr...

Fonterra is at a crossroads, with its proposed sale of Mainland Group raising big questions for its farmer suppliers, the wider dairy sector, and everyday consumers. In this episode, we’re joined by Matt Montgomerie, a senior analyst at Forsyth Barr, to unpack what’s really going on. Matt explains Fonterra’s financial position, the rationale behind the Mainland sale, and what it could mean for farmers and the sector. He also shares insights into the co-op’s long-term strategy and global dairy...

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and North Canterbury dairy farmer Bex Green is opening up about one of the toughest periods of her life. Between a severe injury, raising three kids, and running a 1000-cow contract milking operation with her husband, Bex also stepped up to lead farmers in her region. But behind her public role, she was struggling deeply with her mental health. Bex openly shares the challenges she faced, what helped her recover – including the decision to compete...

Farmers across New Zealand are voicing growing frustration with regional councils, resource consents, and the cost of compliance. Nothing has captured that frustration quite like Canterbury farmer David Clark’s recent Facebook post, which outlined his family’s ordeal in trying to renew a straightforward consent for their mixed arable, seed and livestock farm. The post struck a nerve, was shared widely across rural communities, and has drawn sharp attention from the Beehive. In this episode, D...

Dairy, beef and sheep farmers are all enjoying strong returns right now – but as every farmer knows, the good times don’t last forever. In this episode, Federated Farmers dairy chair Karl Dean shares practical advice on how to turn today’s profits into long-term security. Karl explains why reducing debt should be front of mind, what types of on-farm investments make sense, and how to balance reinvesting with putting money aside for future downturns. He also touches on succession plannin...

Scott Wishart from agricultural loan broker NZAB joins us to discuss how farmers can take more control of their banking outcomes. Scott shares practical advice on how to become “bank-ready,” what information to gather beyond budgets and financials, and how a well-prepared farmer can unlock a better deal. He also explains the value of engaging multiple lenders, the role of non-bank lenders, and common mistakes farmers make when approaching their bank. You’ll hear the steps fa...

Farmers rely on rural media to stay informed – but shrinking print runs, social media, and changing news habits are putting pressure on traditional outlets. In this episode, we sit down with Dean Williamson, CEO of AgriHQ and publisher of Farmers Weekly, to discuss the challenges facing rural media. We explore the changing media landscape, how younger farmers are consuming news differently, and why Dean believes connecting rural New Zealand is more important than ever. We also as...

Farmers have long been saying they’re getting a raw deal from the banks – higher interest rates, tougher lending rules, fewer options, and growing pressure around environmental reporting. That’s why Federated Farmers pushed so hard for a rural banking inquiry. Now, after months of hearings and submissions, the Finance and Expenditure Committee has released its final report. It calls for changes to capital requirements, new transparency rules, and stronger political oversight of the big ...

Carbon forestry is spreading fast, and the impacts are becoming impossible to ignore for farmers in regions like Southland. In this episode, we’re joined by Dean Rabbidge, Southland Federated Farmers meat & wool chair, to talk about what he’s seeing on the ground. He describes the heartbreak of whole, highly productive farms being converted into pine plantations, and rural towns slowly hollowing out. He explains how the rise of carbon forestry is affecting local communities, ...

In this episode, we dig into the mental health challenges facing farmers and rural communities, and ask: is the support on offer actually working? Matt Doocey, New Zealand’s first dedicated Minister for Mental Health, joins us to discuss what’s changing, what still needs to, and whether rural voices are truly being heard. Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford shares what rural people are telling him they really need, the barriers that still exist, what support services need to look like ...

A month since he won the prestigious NZ Young Farmer of the Year Award, we catch up with Hugh Jackson to find out how he’s feeling about the win and get to know a bit better. We dig into his background, his personal goals, his mental health story, his passion for the Young Farmers organisation, and what makes him tick. We also talk about winning the award, including some of the strategies he employed as part of his preparation, and we also hear about the trip to Tanzania he’s just retur...

In this episode we’re digging into a hot topic in the primary sector – regulation of agrichemicals and the role of the Environmental Protection Authority, or EPA. David Birkett, Federated Farmers’ biosecurity spokesperson and arable chair, has been at the coalface of conversations around agrichemical approvals. We discuss what’s going wrong with the EPA process, how it’s affecting Kiwi farmers, and what needs to happen to ensure we have the tools to protect crops and pasture without unnecessa...

In this episode, we take a hard look at where things are at for the red meat and wool sectors right now, including what’s driving the strong red meat returns, but also pain points like processor viability, falling stock numbers, productive farmland going into carbon forestry, and the ongoing struggles for wool growers. Richard Dawkins, Federated Farmers meat and wool chair, brings insights from farmers on the ground, and Mel Croad, senior analyst at AgriHQ, unpacks what’s driving globa...

Legal issues on the farm can be stressful — and often dealt with only when things go wrong. In this episode, you'll hear from lawyer Simon Middlemiss about the most common legal and employment problems farmers face, and how to avoid them. From staff contracts to handling disputes, Simon shares practical tips all farmers should know, plus the basics every good employer needs to get right. Whether you’re dealing with an issue now or want to stay ahead of trouble, this episode will h...

We’re continuing the theme of farm succession by chatting with Peter Templeton, a fifth-generation Southland dairy farmer, who spent five months travelling the USA and Europe as a Nuffield scholar, researching what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to farm succession. He met with over 100 farmers, their advisors, and industry experts to paint a wide picture of ownership structures, financial strategies, and family dynamics that make or break the succession process. He joins us to share h...