Blue Shed Diary

On the last day of February, the United States and Israel launched a joint strike against Iran—beginning a new war in the Middle East.

Iran's retaliatory strikes against its neighbours including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, have all but closed shipping and travel to and from the region.

So, what does a war, half a world away, have to do with New Zealand and New Zealand Farmers?

Well, trade with the region equates to millions of dollars for the New Zealand economy, particularly agriculture. While much is still up in the air, we can get some insight into the impact this could have on New Zealand.

Joining the conversation is Charles Finny.

Charles is a partner at Saunders Unsworth, a former trade negotiator and diplomat, and now, Chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

For more information about Blue Shed Diary, visit our website.

Women have always been the backbone of rural communities, and the ones people turn to in times of need. For these women, when they are in need, there is one organisation for them to turn to: Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ). Since 1925, its mission is to give support, connection, and voice to rural women, their families, and communities. Now, as the organisation enters its second century, how is their mission evolving?

Joining the conversation is the organisation's new CEO, Sandra Kirby.

Tech Talk is our brand-new segment where we answer your questions and get technical or seasonal advice from PGG Wrightson's Technical Team and Field Reps.

Joining the Conversation is Pete McKnight, PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist for Agronomy based in Otago. He has sage advice on dealing with Diamondback moths in your brassicas.

Have a question you want answered? Send us an email at [email protected]

Once upon a time, not too long ago, if you had pests in your crop or paddock, the go-to approach was a blanket-use of insecticides. If it was crawling, kill it. But it turns out, that is not such a great method for control; and it led to a rise in resistance.

Integrated Pest Management or IPM takes a multi-faceted approach to pest management that doesn't solely rely on chemical options. Joining the conversation for this month's Tech Talk is PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist Chris Lambert.

On the Vine -- our brand-new segment takes a deep-dive into the horticulture sector.

Kiwifruit is New Zealand's largest horticultural export -- nearly $4 billion last year. Given its role in our economy, it seems only fitting that we start our inaugural On the Vine segment with a focus on Kiwis.

Joining the conversation is Dr Matt Glenn, CEO of the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre in Te Puke.

Introducing our brand-new segment: Tech Talk. We answer your questions and give technical or seasonal advice from PGG Wrightson's own Technical Team and Field & Hort Reps.

Joining the conversation the first Tech Talk is Gary Speers, PGG Wrightson Technical Horticultural Representative based in Hastings. He gives us an update on the apple growing season.

Each summer, PGG Wrightson has a selection of university students join us for a 10-week paid internship. We pair them with mentors, provide hands-on experience in field trials, put them in our stores, send them off with our livestock and wool teams, or have them join our Research & Development teams. At the end of the internship – we want them walking away with a better understanding of the primary sector.

For the very first time, and because our host, Milton Munro runs the programme, our interns have an additional test – aconversation on the podcast.

Meet the future of the primary sector:

Bruno Mason

Cameron Walker

Jesica Acharya

Lily Shortus

Lachlan Walter

The ocean is not generally the first thing you think of when you think of farming in New Zealand, but one organisation is looking to change that. Surfing for Farmers is all about helping farmers find the perfect break—to get away from the hard work of farm life and have a bit of fun on a surfboard with their fellow farmers, rural families, and industry professionals.

Joining the conversation for the inaugural From the Field segment is Dom Huxley, General Manager of Surfing for Farmers.

Glyphosate, or 'Round Up' as it commonly known, is one of the world's most widely used herbicides. It’s been approved for use in New Zealand since the 1970's, but in recent years its safety has been called into question here and abroad.

Six months ago, the New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the authority charged with looking into the safety and efficacy of our agrichemicals, declined to review the approval of Glyphosate saying there are no grounds ornew evidence for a review.

Joining the conversation to discuss this decision and the safety of Glyphosate is the EPA's manager for Hazardous Substances Reassessments, Dr Shaun Presow.

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for farmers and growers. Not only do you have a lot of jobs on the farm, but you also may want to squeeze in some time for relaxing, too! So, it is understandable if you're tempted to cut a few corners to get the job done.

But accidents have consequences—from lost revenue to lost lives—so prevention is key!

Working to improve health and safety in the primary sector is Safer Farms. Joining the conversation now is Safer Farms Chair, Lindy Nelson.