The Country

Jamie Mackay talks to Rowland Smith, Steve Abel, Stu Duncan, Stu Loe, and Chris Brandolino. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to the World Shearing Champion and Hawke’s Bay farmer about this province’s A&P Show, shearing competitions, and El Niño. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party agriculture spokesman outlines his party’s rural policies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s farmer panel talks the Big Wind one year on, the season down on the farm, the election and the NPC final. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday’s Weather Guy talks about the Big Wind one year on, plus the drying effects of El Niño, especially in the North Island. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Winston Peters, Professor Hamish Gow, Naomi Wilde, Hunter McGregor, and Chris Russell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NZ First Leader is back to his belligerent best as we debate the Powerbrokers Debate, the Indian free trade agreement, agriculture in schools, strategic split voting, and whether he covets the Prime Minister’s job. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is Lincoln University Giving Day 2026, as we encourage alumni to give back to a learning institution that gave them so much. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Shanghai-based correspondent discusses how El Niño is affecting China and wider Asia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian correspondent talks tariffs on Aussie lamb and NSW setting a new record for agricultural production off the back of beef. But he’s less forthcoming about why the Wallabies are so useless! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Craig Hickman, Duncan Humm, Emma Higgins, George Dodson and Hugh Jackson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister ponders polls, the Indian free trade agreement, agriculture in schools and whether the Greens and gangs could be a game-changer in this election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s first farmer panel hails from Mid Canterbury as we talk dairy, deer and politics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank’s senior dairy analyst reviews last night’s Global Dairy Trade auction (up 2.5%), which continued the now well-established trend; powders strong and fats weaker. (Whole milk powder 4.4%, Skim milk powder 3.4%, anhydrous milk fat -3.4%, butter -0.4%, and cheese -7.4%.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our second farmer panel of the day features the 2024 and 2025 Young Farmers of the Year, a dairy farmer and a sheep/beef farmer. We discuss Halter on cows, the Young Farmer of the Year district competitions, and the NPC final. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Damien O'Connor, Nigel Woodhead, Mark de Lautour, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, and John McOviney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We book in for an argument with Labour’s trade spokesman and former Minister of Agriculture as we debate the Indian FTA, agriculture in schools, and the Greens and the gangs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2017 Young Farmer of the Year has his say on agriculture in schools, and we reflect on the big wind event of one year ago that ripped through his South Otago sheep and beef farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Open Country Dairy talks about tonight’s GDT Auction, why organic farming is a niche industry, and we discuss the words we detest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of our leading primary sector academics and educators comments on agriculture in schools and why more science funding is critical for NZ agriculture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a Young Farmer of the Year to an older one - we yarn to a Waitomo sheep and beef farmer and the chief executive of Steelfort. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Nathan Guy, Nathan Stewart, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, and Phil Duncan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second and final Minister for Primary Industries in John Key’s Government (serving from 2013 to 2017, after David Carter) is now chair of Apiculture New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association and New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy. Just back from India, we get his take on the state of play in the primary sector and what’s happening in Washington with sheep meat tariffs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feilding High School’s principal is campaigning to keep agriculture as a standalone Year 11 subject. He explains why he believes dropping the subject is a mistake for rural students and New Zealand’s future workforce. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s farmer/politician panel ponders agriculture in schools, strategic split voting and the Greens and the gangs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday’s resident weatherman says a fine week is in store, with the usual wind expected for Labour Weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to David Seymour, Jane Smith, Angus Gidley-Baird, and Chris Hipkins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Chris Hipkins, Mike Green, Hamish McKay, Kate Acland, and Chris Brandolino. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will he be our next Prime Minister? And will a Labour-led government be the death knell for farming? We get some yes-or-no answers from Chippy about what he potentially has in store for agriculture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk about the Rural Support Trust and the Poverty Bay A&P Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we find the chairwoman of Beef + Lamb NZ putting forward NZ exporters’ case at a hearing of the US International Trade Commission in Washington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday’s weatherman talks about a week of extreme temperatures and the looming El Niño. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.