Nine To Noon

Technology behind breeding low-methane emitting sheep has the potential to be applied to cattle, with huge potential for reducing New Zealand's greenhouse gasses. Scientists at AgResearch have found that lower methane emissions are a heritable trait in sheep. Emissions are measured using portable accumulation chambers, with the lowest emitting sheep producing close to 13 per cent less methane than the highest emitters, per kilogram of feed eaten. It's now hoped that this will be transferable to cattle, with a single chamber being used to test this. Thirty-five percent of New Zealand's greenhouse gases come from grazing livestock; with sheep accounting for one third of that, and cattle 70 percent. If New Zealand's entire flock were to become low methane emitting, it's estimated the country could reduce methane emissions by one percent per year. Kathryn speaks with Dr Suzanne Rowe is a geneticist and senior scientist at AgResearch.

New Stats NZ's figures show the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.2 percent, in large part this is due to the closed borders and lack of flow of skilled migrants and workers. However, this is having a serious effect on businesses struggling to fill vacancies. Accordant is the country's largest recruitment firm, working across all sectors from blue collar to IT and executive level. Kathryn talks to Accordant Chief Executive, Jason Cherrington who says almost every sector is short staffed. We'll also hear from Puke Pine General Manager Jeff Tanner. Parts of his family run Te Puke sawmill are choking due to unfilled vacancies, and that's impacting on how much product can be processed.

Science commentator Dr Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn with an update on the new BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron which appear to be behind a new wave of Covid cases in South Africa. The longest-ever recorded case of Covid infection is 505 days - that's not long Covid, but a chronic infection. And a new meta-analysis shows getting the seasonal flu vaccine could reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.

A few years ago Dunedin woman Ruth Arnison came across an unusual idea for a library - little, brightly painted cupboards full of books free for anyone to take, borrow or donate. She called them Lilliput Libraries, and placed ten around the city - wondering whether they'd be used. Fast-forward eight years and the initiative has spread far beyond Dunedin's borders. Lilliput Libraries are now all over New Zealand, with #302 newly established in Invercargill. Ruth joins Kathryn to talk about the libraries, and other community-minded projects she's involved with that aim to spread joy.

Aucklander, Melissa Jackson grandparents were in the fashion industry in the UK. When her father emigrated to New Zealand he started his own business cutting garments for some well known clothing retailers. Melissa has always worked as an accountant, but during the pandemic she's had time to sew and ended up starting an online homewares business - missyjackson.co.nz

Melanie O'Loughlan of Lamplight Books reviews Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro, translated from Spanish by Frances Riddle, published by Charco Press.

Sarah Nolet wants farmers to become ag-tech entreprenurs. As co-founder of Australia's first specialist agrifood tech venture capital firm, Tenacious Ventures, she's raised $NZ38 million to work with 15 start-ups that make production more efficient, focus on climate solutions and create new business models that enable rapid response to changing consumer demands. As well as the fund, Sarah Nolet is the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, and co-founder of Farmers2Founders, a national innovation program for primary producers. Sarah Nolet is speaking at at E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit, being held 21-22 June in Christchurch and virtually.

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about the Reserve Bank's decision to raise the official cash rate by 0.25 per cent - the first time it's been hiked in the middle of an election campaign since 2007. She'll look at the city-based seats held by moderate conservatives that are under threat from climate-concerned independents - raising concerns about a hung parliament on May 21. And Australia's most famous soap opera Neighbours is ending - but not without a special reunion.

Fewer New Zealanders are surviving cardiac arrests outside the hospital, and St John Ambulance believes wearing PPE may be impairing officers' ability to perform CPR effectively. Survival rates are down for the second year in a row. They've dropped from 13 percent in the year to July 2019, pre-pandemic, to 11 percent in the 12 months to July last year. Survival rates are counted as people still alive 30 days after a cardiac arrest. In the year to July 2021, almost 2000 cardiac arrests were treated in the community, with 25 percent living long enough to get to hospital, down from 27 percent two years earlier. So what's behind the drop in survival rates? Kathryn speaks with Medical Director of St John ambulance services, Dr Tony Smith.

A new follow-up study into students who'd gone through the Reading Recovery programme in the US has found that initial gains may not last.