Senior reporter Richard Rennie chats about his recent visit to Scion’s headquarters in Rotorua, where he caught up with the latest research on both exotic and native trees.

He also has the results of the recent Champions of Cheese awards and the inside information on a new wood pellet processing plant in the central North Island.

AgriHQ analyst Fiona Quarrie joins the show to talk about the calf sales in the South Island. Early sales have continued the good prices vendors enjoyed at North Island weaner fairs and she says upcoming sales in the south should also bring high returns.

Federated Farmers Taranaki spokesperson Brendan Attrill gives an update on the drought that’s affecting parts of the North Island. He’s particularly concerned about contract milkers who are paid directly by processors and says there will need to be constructive and ongoing conversations with farm owners to ensure contractors can get through the year.

In this week’s show:

• Senior reporter Neal Wallace talks us through the The Future of Wool special report. He and Annette Scott spent the last few weeks talking to the major players in the strong wool industry and learned how they plan on returning value to farmers.
• AgriHQ senior analyst Suz Bremner joins the show to talk about the latest sale yard news. She says drought and access to feed is influencing some buying decisions, but prices are still strong across the country.
• Visiting Nuffield scholar Wilco Brouwer de Koning tells Bryan about life as a Dutch dairy farmer and says they’re facing the same regulatory and market-driven challenges we face in New Zealand. Wilko is researching how a biodiversity credit system might work to reward farmers and says transparency of data is the key to success.F
• ederated Farmers Southland’s Dean Rabbidge says whole-farm forestry conversions are still occurring down south and he wants some answers from the government. The Prime Minister told farmers in Gore last year the practice would end, but Dean says there appears to be a loophole.

Visiting Nuffield scholar Wilco Brouwer de Koning tells Bryan about life as a Dutch dairy farmer and says they’re facing the same regulatory and market-driven challenges we face in New Zealand.
Wilko is researching how a biodiversity credit system might work to reward farmers and says transparency of data is the key to success.

Senior reporter Neal Wallace talks us through the The Future of Wool special report. He and Annette Scott spent the last few weeks talking to the major players in the strong wool industry and learned how they plan on returning value to farmers.

AgriHQ senior analyst Suz Bremner joins the show to talk about the latest sale yard news. She says drought and access to feed is influencing some buying decisions, but prices are still strong across the country.

Federated Farmers Southland’s Dean Rabbidge tells Bryan that whole-farm forestry conversions are still occurring down south and he wants some answers from the government.

The Prime Minister told farmers in Gore last year the practice would end, but Dean says there appears to be a loophole.

In this week’s show:

• Senior reporter Richard Rennie talks us through the changes to the Public Works Act, which will give more compensation to the owners of land taken by the government for infrastructure projects, but also reduces the avenues available to challenge the decision.
• AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad joins the show to look at the high lamb prices. She unpacks the reasons for the lift, whether it's sustainable and has some advice for sheep farmers as the year progresses.
• AgriZero chief executive Wayne McNee talks to Bryan at the Wānaka Show about their new investments in emissions reduction technologies. He also gives his thoughts on the backlash AgriZero faces from some quarters by those questioning the need to invest in greenhouse gas reduction.
• Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick tells Bryan why he’s asking hunters to buy their licences from outside the region this duck shooting season.

AgriZero chief executive Wayne McNee talks to Bryan at the Wānaka Show about their new investments in emissions reduction technologies. He also gives his thoughts on the backlash AgriZero faces from some quarters by those questioning the need to invest in greenhouse gas reduction.