The Country

No matter how long you have been out working on the land, you can always learn ways to work smarter, save money, and time on the farm. In this week’s episode brought to you by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, powered by The Country, Hamish McKay is joined by Farmer Matthew Tayler, and Head of Science at Dairy NZ Nico Lyons who explain the art of Feed Budgeting, and how literally watching grass grow can have a positive effect on your farm profits growing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish McKay talks to Christopher Luxon, Bill Mouat, and Hunter McGregor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister discusses the government’s energy package, the overhaul of the earthquake-prone building system, lower interest rates, and why he thinks farmers are more positive. Plus, he mourns the loss of broadcaster and popular psychologist Nigel Latta, who died at 58, following a battle with cancer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the author of Gold Under the Mānuka, which is about his family’s inspirational story on Mangaorapa Station in southern Hawke’s Bay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Shanghai-based red meat expert is on day one of The Golden Week, an eight-day holiday in China where everyone goes travelling. He comments on whether this holiday is good news for New Zealand’s red meat and how changes in restaurant culture and a struggling economy are affecting our exports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish McKay talks to Jack Fagan, Greg Gent, Scott Graham, and Rebecca Greaves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This shearing gun is back from Europe and Australia, and is looking forward to the new shearing and woolhandling competition season kicking off in New Zealand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A farmer and a foundation member of Fonterra discusses the upcoming farmer vote for the co-op's $4.22 billion sale of Mainland to Lactalis. Plus, what questions farmers have been asking Fonterra about the deal at the co-operative’s road shows.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning Sydney-based science and agricultural teacher on why he’s bringing a team of 39 students to New Zealand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with an award-winning rural journalist from Pongaroa, who takes a break from docking to chat with The Country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Phil Duncan, David Seymour, Shane McManaway, Blair McLean, and Jim Hopkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wet and windy, cold and dry, and warm nor-westers. It's rinse and repeat for the weather.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister has his say on Ecan, Paris and Palestine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with a Wairarapa farmer who’s just been inducted into the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Blenheim-based viticulture correspondent talks about the grape glut.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are we so disengaged with local body politics? We ask a rural raconteur for his take on it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Ben Picton, Jane Smith, Miles Hurrell, Finn Ross, and Greg Cornelsen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Chris Brandolino, Rachel Shearer, Stu Loe, Stu Duncan, Hamish McKay, and Azaria Howell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday’s weather guy from Earth Sciences NZ offers more of the same - wet, windy and cold! Except for the dry regions, where Hawke’s Bay is now showing up on the Drought Index map.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The GM of PGG Wrightson Wool has good news: strong crossbred wool is worth something. The South Island Strong Wool Indicator was up 46 cents with 98% clearance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s farmer panel talks, unsurprisingly, about farming and footy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McKay on Sport on the AB selection, track and field coverage going forward, six weeks till the Melbourne Cup, and the Devil’s Own golf tournament in Palmy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB’s political correspondent comments on Winston at the UN and the CEO’s mood of the Boardroom survey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Miles Hurrell, Finn Ross, Greg Cornelsen, Jo Luxton, and Chris Russell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Fonterra comments on the annual results, and all the numbers are good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're barking up the wrong pine tree by blaming Paris - so says the man behind Future Famers Aotearoa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The yarn to the man who scored four tries against the All Blacks in 1978 at Eden Park in an historic 30-16 win against the odds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Ag spokesperson puts the boot into the most highly rated MP in the House and we ask, yet again, for some Ag policy from Labour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent on the good and bad news for the sheep industry, only good news for beef, Albo and Trump, and the Bledisloe Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every farm has hidden inefficiencies—whether it’s feed wastage, poor timing, or small leaks that quietly drain profit and add stress. Episode two brought to you by Beef +Lamb New Zealand and powered by The Country, looks into Body Condition Scoring. A simple, cheap management tool, to help get the most out of stock performance, and ultimately improving your bottom line. This week Hamish Mckay is joined by farmers Bevan Proffit, and Steve Nicol, to explain what Body Condition Scoring is, how it is done, and how to turn it into an action plan on your farm that means better stock performance no matter the season, after all you cant manage what you don't measure! No matter how many years you've been on the land and working with stock, this episode is a must listen for anyone wanting to increase stock performance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Mark Gunton, Jane Smith, and Claire Taylor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister ponders his personal popularity and the performance of the economy. Plus, what is Winston Peters up to in New York?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alliance Group’s chairman Mark Wynne has all but shut down a letter penned by a group of farmers wanting to recapitalise the embattled processor themselves as providing “false hope”. Five current shareholders have pulled together what they describe as an “alternative finance proposal” to prepay its debt money from capital raised from farmers, retaining profits as well as selling “non-essential” assets. We talk with one of those shareholders, Mark Gunton of Argyle Station, who is also an Auckland property developer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist who has just been elected to the board of directors for Ravensdown. We also get her views on the Alliance Group recapitalisation. Plus, what did she think of yesterday’s interview with GreenXperts Ltd principal scientist, Susan Harris, who said New Zealand should lobby the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to remove livestock emissions from the Paris Climate Agreement?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to Orange, NSW, to catch up with our favourite Scottish/Aussie Nuffield Scholar and find out what she’s up to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Ben Picton, Chris Webb, Rob Penney, and Susan Harris.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank's Macro Strategist (Senior Economist) comments on last week's dismal GDP number (-0.9% for the June quarter) and what it means for interest rates for NZ farmers. Plus, could we see our OCR drop to as low as 2% by February 2026?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We mix high-performance sport with high-performance agribusiness on today's panel with a former Wallabies manager and the current Crusaders Coach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Principal Scientist at GreenXperts Limited, a New Zealand-based sustainability consultancy involved in numerous carbon and land management projects. Today, she says huge pieces of Antarctica are not falling off due to livestock emissions. Rather, she says, we should be global leaders and a better investment for NZ would be "to develop some diplomatic bottle" and lobby the IPCC to remove livestock emissions from the Paris Climate Agreement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Hayley Gourley, Todd Clark, Pita Alexander, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, and Phil Duncan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A long-standing friend of The Country has been appointed to the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee. With a background in banking and agri-business we look at her progression through Rabobank and Skellerup to deciding the OCR on October 8.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our US farming correspondent reflects on Farm Aid 40 years on, a dry fall/autumn, and he looks forward to seeing the All Blacks in Chicago in November. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.