Sarah's Country

What led me to Sue was a string of fate, and now I want to share her with the world as this week's Sarah's Country Sister.

Sue McGaw is a specialist native plant consultant from North Canterbury who works with farmers to design their riparian plantings into biodiversity nodes to ensure 99% success rate, all year round bird feed, resilence from pests, weeds, droughts, and floods and Rongoā Māori, the traditional healing properties.

At 63 years old, after 25 years of landscape design, Sue's imposter syndrome that she no one would listen to her without a Master's she embarked on completing in Ecology.

Sue's lifelong mission is to pass on her knowledge to catchment groups and farmers to get it right the first time and not just plant what you like the look of!

To connect with Sue feel free to email her, [email protected].

We are excited for you to meet the three emerging food and fibre sector leaders who have been awarded the 2022 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships.

This group comes from the most diverse range of backgrounds we have seen in recent times and each of the scholars brings talent, passion, perspective, and a track record of performance. 

Covid 19 restrictions mean this year’s scholarship recipients’ formal awards ceremony at Parliament, will be delayed until February 2022, when Minister O’Connor will award the scholarships in person.

In this episode, you will meet the 2022 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship recipients along with CEO for the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust (NZRLT), Chris Parsons as this week's Change Makers.

Parmindar Singh, a Waikato based Dairy Farm Manager, Company Director, and recent master’s graduate. 

Anthony Taueki, a horticulturalist from Hawke’s Bay, Tū Te Wana Kaiako at Fruition Horticulture, and a Councillor for the Youth Food and Fibre Network. 

Completing the trio is Wellington-based Lucie Douma, Principal Adviser for the Ministry for Primary Industries. Lucie is a master’s graduate from Oxford’s Mansfield College and

from a Southland farming background along with CEO of Rural Leaders, Chris Parsons.

For more on the 2022 Value Chain Innovation Programme:

Rural Leaders have made the decision to shift the Value Chain Innovation Programme date from Mid-January to May next year.

For more information on the programme and how to apply: https://ruralleaders.co.nz/value-chain/

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands Co-Operative for partnering with Sarah's Country this season

Brave leadership has been a fabric of our primary sector for the past century and now is a time to continue that attitude in the face of what many think is just a New Zealand government challenge when our farming cousins around the world are facing the same challenges.

Science entrepreneur and agri-business commentator, Anna Campbell, is walking the talk transitioning from AbacusBio, a highly respected science, and technology firm operating from offices in Dunedin and Rotorua New Zealand, and Edinburgh, United Kingdom, to co-founding natural health business, Zestt Wellness, to support immunity and improve lung health. 

As this week's Sarah's Country Sisters, Anna and Sarah discuss:

- Her opinion's on New Zealand food & fibre's science commercialization moving to private equity and offshore capital markets.

- Her empathy attending the last farmer protest with her farming mum and her son of agriculturalists turned off a career in the sector along with the international animal scientists saying they feel they will be the last generation, the pressures on the livestock industry is a global challenge.

- The opportunities for New Zealand's natural health products from plants are being hindered by our antiquated regulation and international scientific collaboration. 

- Her advice on women leadership in the sector by men leading that change by opening doors and taking women seriously, as well as women deepening their networks with other women.

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands Co-Operative for partnering with Sarah's Country this season.

Brave leadership has been a fabric of our primary sector for the past century and now is a time to continue that attitude in the face of what many think is just a New Zealand government challenge when our farming cousins around the world are facing the same challenges.

Science entrepreneur and agri-business commentator, Anna Campbell, is walking the talk transitioning from AbacusBio, a highly respected science, and technology firm operating from offices in Dunedin and Rotorua New Zealand, and Edinburgh, United Kingdom, to co-founding natural health business, Zestt Wellness, to support immunity and improve lung health. 

As this week's Sarah's Country Sisters, Anna and Sarah discuss:

- Her opinion's on New Zealand food & fibre's science commercialization moving to private equity and offshore capital markets.

- Her empathy attending the last farmer protest with her farming mum and her son of agriculturalists turned off a career in the sector along with the international animal scientists saying they feel they will be the last generation, the pressures on the livestock industry is a global challenge.

- The opportunities for New Zealand's natural health products from plants are being hindered by our antiquated regulation and international scientific collaboration. 

- Her advice on women leadership in the sector by men leading that change by opening doors and taking women seriously, as well as women deepening their networks with other women.

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands Co-Operative for partnering with Sarah's Country this season.

Whatever your thoughts or knowledge are about cannabis, the New Zealand government believes in the future of establishing evidence-based medical cannabis cultivation practices with the awarding of funds to Lincoln University-based, Greenlab.

Greenlab aims to generate standard cultivation protocols for a range of New Zealand genetics with the optimized pharmaceutical compounds required by doctors and needed by patients to improve their quality of life.

Dr. Rupinder Brar & Dr. Parmjit Randhawa, co-founders of Greenlab join Sarah as this week's Change Maker to explain how the unique research could position New Zealand as the market leader in herbal medicine as the pharmaceutical industry is running out of options for healthcare.

Whilst New Zealand farmers and growers won't necessarily be able to capture a slice of the green pie on the ground, there are some excellent messages in the global trend for nutraceuticals - let food be thy medicine - and our agronomic knowledge to apply that.

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands for supporting Sarah's Country this season!

To contact the show email [email protected]

The last 5 years for New Zealand's largest rural supply co-operative have been disruptive to ensure they are positioned to support their shareholders into the future.

Newly appointed CEO, Tanya Houghton has a fresh approach to leadership that is being well-received across the board.

Sarah caught up with Tanya as part of Sarah's Country sisters to discuss how to lead a team in a time of uncertainty, her thoughts on balancing the books of farmers with lower prices and that of the co-operative and her plan to navigate the challenges ahead in her own style of leadership.

Following the recent announcement of an $8.1 million net profit before tax and rebates for the 20/21 financial year described by Chair Rob Hewett as a pass mark with a $2.7 billion turnover, Tanya has turned her first efforts to people & culture.

Thank you so much to our mates at Farmlands for supporting us this season!

Contact the show: [email protected]

Many farmers across New Zealand fear the future sheep farming faces is the viability of the business model in the face of trees on hill country.

The merger of Primary Wool Co-Operative & Wools of New Zealand closes on the 4th of November and maybe the ticket to contracting the fragmented industry to provide more value behind the farm gate.

As this week's Change Maker, Sarah catches up with Richard Young, Chair of Primary Wool Co-Operative to discuss what the merger will mean for growers, where the strong wool price needs to be to be sustainable, and how the capitally constrained industry can emerge from the doldrums to capture the value of 'eco-consumerism'.

For more information on the merger, visit: https://primarywool.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Information-booklet.pdf

Thanks to our mates at Farmlands Co-Operative for partnering with Sarah's Country this season.

Positive community outcomes are what drive this Central Otago sheep & beef farmer who has found herself supporting the diversity of opinion towards environmental progress. 

Emma Crutchley, farming with her husband in the Maniototo, has a wide range of experience from a career in agronomy to governance in water management aware that her biggest strength she offers is facilitating challenging conversations. 

"I've learned that you have a limited time so don't spread yourself too thin. Try and find the spot where you can use your skillset to have the biggest influence with the time you have available to contribute," Emma Crutchley.

As this week's Sarah's Country Sister, Emma has many pleas for the farming sector to come together around the various strategies to achieve environmental excellence and that outside thinking is needed.

Tiaki Maniototo is an example of Emma's involvement in sourcing $4.5million in government funding to plant 90,000 native plants, 200km of fencing, preserve the rare native fish and enhance recreational areas for all of the community to access the newly planted areas.

Sarah & Emma discuss how projects can bring the wider community together on their shared values bridging the divide so they have a collective sense of achievement and connection to their catchment.

Click here to read Emma's Kellogg's report "Water sharing in a water-short catchment" 

Subscribe to Sarah’s Country on the podcast and if you love us, please leave a review!

Thank you so much to our mates at Farmlands for supporting us this season!

Contact the show: [email protected]

Did you know that New Zealand farmers in their 40's are having heart attacks?

It's time to reframe what it means to be a top farmer. It's not about what people think of you as the stress unbalances the economics of your farm and life.

Being a Triple-A farmer is assessing, adapting, and adjusting your farm to have a holistic approach to wellbeing. From the books to the bed, being successful is having your physical, mental, social, and business wellbeing in order right across the board. 

In this week's Opinion Maker, Sarah discusses the fundamentals of having a balanced life as every aspect is interconnected. Physical pain creates fatigue which leads to poor mental performance and ultimately business performance.

Throughout this episode, Sarah talks to others involved in a unique new program, FarmFlex, from a rural accountant, personal trainer, environmental consultant, insurance advisors.

In this week's Opinion Maker, Sarah discusses the fundamentals of having a balanced life as every aspect is interconnected. Physical pain creates fatigue which leads to poor mental performance and ultimately business performance.

Throughout this episode, Sarah talks to others involved in a unique new program, FarmFlex, from a rural accountant, personal trainer, environmental consultant, insurance advisors.

In this episode, we learn about great tips and advice from:

- Elle Perriam, founder of Will to Live NZ Charitable Trust, supports farmers with free private phycologists and what she's discovered about the fundamentals of stress.

- Erica Van Reenan, managing director AgFirst Manawatu, in how she's learned that to achieve good environmental and business outcomes people are at the heart of decision making.

- Rahui Corbett, partner at rural accountancy, Morrison Creed on how to cashflow forecast in uncertain times.

- Matt Wells, wellness coach at The Rec Room, hits home the importance of physical health on overall performance and reducing fatigue from niggly injuries.

- Pierre Schroeder, the principal adviser at Thrive, highlights the value of human resources in your farming operation and how putting yourself & people first can save you money.

For more information about FarmFlex launching on 5th November 2021, visit https://www.facebook.com/Farmflex2021 or contact the team at Thrive.

Thank you so much to our mates at Farmlands for supporting us this season!

Contact the show: [email protected]

Cherry-picking facts and non or discounted 'accounting' is happening everywhere across the conversation of climate change and food production. 

One New Zealand scientist wants the narrative to include the full energy analysis of our food production which doesn't look good for plant-based proteins or vertical farming.

 Craig Anderson's webinar "Is energy the Achilles heel of agriculture" has caught many people's attention and highlighted the opportunity to focus on the full life cycle analysis, instead of just greenhouse gas emissions.

As this week's Change Maker, Sarah learns more about the observations Craig is making when we shift our thinking to the energy or calorie profile of food.

"The green revolution of agriculture has seen more energy/per kg used to produce 1kg of calories. Whilst we can all make reductions on farm, lot of that is coming from the process after the farm-gate. New Zealand has an opportunity to reframe the story," explains Craig.

More resources as explained in the podcast:

- Craig's presentation - watch here

- Craig's latest opinion piece on Newsroom 'The energy dilemma of eating' - read here 

Subscribe to Sarah’s Country on the podcast and if you love us, please leave a review!

Thank you so much to our mates at Farmlands for supporting us this season!

Contact the show: [email protected]