The Country

Jamie Mackay talks to Mark Patterson, Olivia Caldwell, Loren Aberhart, Sarina Finucane, and Chris Russell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has stood us up, so up to the batter's box is NZ First's agriculture spokesman and the unofficial Minister of Wool. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is the International Day of Rural Women, and 2026 also marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Today we profile three rural women with wonderfully contrasting stories, courtesy of a freelance rural journalist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four months on from its launch at Fieldays, we look at how the Ignite Wellbeing Platform is helping rural mental health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks about robotic feedlots, Wagyu beef, and trying to stop Trump from imposing further tariffs on Australasian sheep meat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Graeme Williams, Kevin Wickham, Campbell Parker, and Peter Newbold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister talks about water storage, fertiliser, last night’s poll and whether he’s made the wrong call with the Opportunity Party. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An East Coast farmer/poet provides a history lesson as well as a tongue-in-cheek take on the election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Ballance on the fertiliser challenge facing farmers - especially when it comes to price rather than supply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of DairyNZ on its AGM, annual results, and the breakeven price for milk under three El Niño modelling scenarios. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The General Manager of PGG Wrightson Real Estate takes his monthly look at the state of the rural land market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Phil Duncan, Jane Smith, Angus Gidley-Baird, and Todd Clark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday’s weatherman on a Tuesday - warmer than average temperatures to start the week; rain arrives to the south on Tuesday, spreading north on Wednesday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You never die wondering what this North Otago farmer and former winner of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards is thinking. And today she leaves us in no doubt! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank’s senior animal proteins analyst provides an update on the state of the Australian sheep meat industry and how this is being mirrored here in New Zealand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Kentucky-based US farming correspondent talks about dyed diesel, farm debt, falling yields for corn crops, and the mid-term elections. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to David Seymour, Julia Sekula, Te Radar, and Steve Wyn-Harris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy PM and Act Party leader looks at two very contentious issues - strategic vote splitting and raising the age of eligibility for National Super. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s World Iron Awareness Week, and Beef + Lamb NZ’s head of nutrition talks about the importance of red meat in our diets, particularly for women, teenage girls and children. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The voice of the competition kicks off the road to the grand final with the district finals of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year getting underway over the last weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Central Hawke’s Bay farmer talks about El Niño, and he claims PGG Wrightson lineage as the great-great-grandson of George Gould. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Property Brokers Land & Lifestyle Market Insights series, The Country’s Hamish McKay is joined by Property Brokers Rural General Manager Conrad Wilkshire to discuss rural property market conditions and current factors that could influence your decision on selling your farm. Sharing practical insights on demand, seasonal presentation, finance, and the upcoming General Election. This episode offers an insightful conversation to understand the current rural property market, to make better informed decisions for your land and lifestyle. Licensed REAA 2008. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Jo Luxton, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Farmer Tom Martin, Jen Corkran, and Shane Jones. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Chris Brandolino, Peter Hayden, Hunter McGregor, Rowena Duncum, Riley Kennedy, and Jeremy Rookes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Friday weatherman from Earth Sciences NZ talks about El Niño and what growers need to know this season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We revisit Footrot Flats 40 years on as the remastered movie is set to hit our cinema screens in January. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Shanghai-based correspondent talks national holidays and local meat pricing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's panel hails from FMG and BusinessDesk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We let a Canterbury hobby farmer off the chain to review the big stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Shane Jones, Tanya Houghton, Jen Corkran, Chris Russell, and John O'Neill. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries defends his fishing portfolio proclamations and Winston’s foreign affairs spending. We also ask if it’s immoral to be a billionaire, whether he supports AgriZeroNZ, and whether some sitting NZ First MPs have been hard done by by the release of the party list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Farmlands responds to stinging criticism, in some quarters, of the farmer co-op’s investment in AgriZeroNZ. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a report titled “New Zealand’s protein moment,” Rabobank’s senior animal protein analyst says tight global beef and sheepmeat supply may provide a near-term positive price window. However, longer-term value will likely depend on market mix, customer relationships and reliable delivery. And which product will fare the best in the battle for high-value GLP-1 protein - dairy or beef? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks footy, farming and fuel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PGG Wrightson’s National Go-Stock Manager on the challenges and opportunities from a wet Southland spring. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to James and Rob Fraser, Todd McClay, Stephen Guerin, Mike McIntyre, and Peter Newbold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the father-and-son team behind Stern Angus. They discuss their South Canterbury yearling bull sale, with James serving as stud principal and Rob representing the fourth generation of the Fraser family at the stud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Agriculture and Trade reflects on PGG Wrightson’s 175-year history and the importance of farming to New Zealand’s economy. He also defends investment in AgriZeroNZ and discusses redirecting foreign aid funding toward medicines for Kiwis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PGG Wrightson chief executive celebrates the company’s 175th anniversary, sharing stories of its evolution and resilience through wars, depressions and droughts. Plus, he explains why strong commodity prices remain vital for farmers and the wider economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jarden's head of commodities says stronger GDT results support confidence in another high-milk-price season. He also explains why whey proteins are becoming increasingly valuable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PGG Wrightson's General Manager, Livestock & Real Estate, says strong livestock prices and wider online bidding are supporting confidence in rural markets. Plus, he highlights the ongoing importance of the IHC Calf & Rural Scheme. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Cameron Bagrie, Scott Mackereth, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Farmer Tom Martin, and Jo Luxton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An independent economist comments on exchange and interest rates, inflation, the fuel crisis and why writing off student loans is not the best use of the education budget. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the winner, alongside his wife Stacey, of the Share Farmers of the Year title at the 2026 NZ Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua. The Mackereths contract milk for Fortuna Group at Edendale, milking 1400 cows on 464ha. Entries for the 2027 awards opened yesterday and close on Dec 6. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask a scientist, who is also a DairyNZ and Ravensdown board member, whether we are getting bang for our buck from the AgriZeroNZ investment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our UK farming correspondent talks tough times down on the farm, a dearth of young British farmers, and whether there could be another Brexit vote under Andy Burnham. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour’s agriculture spokeswoman comments on whether Chloe Swarbrick will be the Minister of Finance, whether farms are exempt from her party’s capital gains tax, and we talk about water storage and changes to the Sharemilkers Act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Rob Hewett, Mike Casey, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, Kevin Barrett, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the AgriZero board chairman to learn more about Farmlands and Alliance joining the AgriZeroNZ partnership, alongside other industry investors that jointly own 50% of AgriZeroNZ: The a2 Milk Company, ANZ, ANZCO, ASB, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party’s Electrify NZ 2.0 policy has been given the tick of approval from Federated Farmers (and the Electric Cherry Guy), which says energy is a major concern for farmers this election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.