Federated Farmers Podcast

Financial adviser Michael Raynes returns to share fresh insights on building and protecting wealth in 2025. We cover savings, investments, debt, succession, and more—plus what today’s economic and global shifts mean for Kiwi farmers. Whether you're starting out or planning your exit, this wide-ranging chat is packed with practical advice. 

Note: nothing discussed in this podcast should be considered personal financial advice. The recommendations and opinions do not take into account your personal financial situation or your investment goals. It’s general in nature. To obtain personal financial advice, please seek out a registered financial adviser. 

Links

Building wealth to buy a farm, preserving wealth when exiting | EP 08

Warren Buffett’s latest annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders

https://sorted.org.nz

https://www.forsythbarr.co.nz

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Is rural crime getting worse? When do most thefts happen? And what can farmers do to make their property a harder target for criminals? 

Abby France from FMG Insurance joins us to share insights on rural crime trends, practical ways for you to reduce risk, and what to do if you become a victim of rural crime. 

Whether you manage thousands of hectares or a small lifestyle block, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Links:

Rural crime rates on rise, Federated Farmers survey finds

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Drought conditions are forcing sharemilkers, contract milkers and farm owners to make tough decisions, like drying off early, which can strain relationships and impact the future of the business. Some contract milkers are facing months of low income ahead. 

So, how do you get through these kinds of adverse events, protect the relationship and business, stay afloat financially, and keep your eyes set on a better season ahead? 

Hear practical advice from Brendan Attrill, Federated Farmers sharefarm owners chair, and Sam Ebbett, our sharefarmer chair. 

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Our guest on this episode is Joe Morgan an accountant in Te Awamutu, Waikato, who does a lot of work with farmers. 

Joe is a director at GFA but previously had a career in rural banking.  He also has a degree in Agri-Commerce majoring in farm management and rural valuation – so he’s a pretty good guy to have in your corner. 

Over the years, he’s seen it all — avoidable tax headaches, business structures that could have saved farmers a fortune if set up right from the start, and helping farmers set up smart strategies to pay off debt more efficiently.

Joe’s passionate about helping farmers understand the value of having the right people around them, what financial pitfalls to watch out for when getting started, and why good accounting advice is worth paying for.

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A military veteran of 16 years, Tony Groves’ military and security career saw him deployed to Timor-Leste, Iraq and Afghanistan, where he honed his leadership skills in high-pressure environments.

He now fronts Halo Training, a business that offers leadership and personal development training to help people, including farmers, build resilience.

On this episode, Tony shares his thoughts on the similarities between stresses faced by farmers and professional soldiers, and how farmers can apply what he learned in the army. 

Tony has a passion for helping people overcome the challenges of leadership through his lessons gained from the battlefield, as well as overcoming Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and alcoholism. 

He holds a Masters degree in Counter-terrorism Studies, and a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership. 

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If you've seen an ad for a contract milking or sharemilking position that could tick the boxes, what comes next? What are the critical steps to take to ensure it’s the right job for you, that it'll pay what you need and keep you moving forward in your career?  

Richard McIntyre, an experienced sharemilker and Federated Farmers national dairy chair, joins us to methodically walk us through the due diligence process – in other words, what it means to take time before you sign up for a new role.  

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Ginny Dodunski, Wormwise programme manager, joins us to share the concerning results of new research into the state of drench-resistant worms in cattle here in New Zealand. She covers the basics of good worm management, why drench resistance is worsening, how to spot it and deal with it, what it means for dairy and beef farmers, and much more practical advice.

Links:

Survey findings: A convenience sample of cattle faecal egg count reduction tests in New Zealand 2021-2024

How Pamu's organic unit weaned itself off drench

Pamu drench resistance management case studies

Summer salads for hill country cattle

Owl Farm growing calves on chicory

Podcast: Better worm management for healthy heifers

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After a break over summer, Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford reflects on the big wins for farmers last year, the challenges, and what his major goals are for the year ahead. He talks about plans to make the farmer voice even louder, getting KiwiSaver changes across the line, whether ‘Team Ag’ is playing as a team yet, and much more. 

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What are the biggest risks involved in going contract milking, sharemilking or being a share farm owner? And how do you manage or mitigate those risks? For our final episode of 2024, we’re talking to Taranaki dairy farmer Sam Ebbett, who’s Federated Farmers’ national sharefarmer chair.

Useful links

Federated Farmers contracts 

Federated Farmers Podcast: Advice for new contract milkers | EP 06

Federated Farmers Podcast: A guide to sharemilking success | EP 07

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Gisborne farmer and Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams joins us to discuss what’s going on for Kiwi sheep and beef farmers right now, where he thinks things are going in 2025, and what he reckons might need to change for sheep farmers, in particular, to get back in the black. 

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