Scene + Herd: Podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Bruce and Jackie Bowie of Mt Marchant had a farm succession challenge to navigate, and they weren’t sure if they could make it work. With help from people they trusted, they came up with a successful plan for themselves and their children Daniel, Natalie and Tom. Hear the family’s story in this podcast, and you can read more about it in the factsheet pathways to farm business ownership.

Mark Guscott of Glen Eden Farms Ltd (Martinborough), Allen and Jo Johnstone of Wallace Johnstone Ltd (Te Kuiti), and Jason Miller of Roslyn Downs (Southland) took part in a panel discussion at the Red Meat Sector Conference on 23 July 2024.

Facilitated by Rowena Duncum from NZME, the four shared their personal perspectives on sustainability, intergenerational planning, and customer expectations in the evolving farming landscape.

This panel discussion was sponsored by Beef + Lamb New Zealand. For more detail, check out the article on our website.

Follow the (fictional) Richards Family who want to retain the farm in the family. However the next generation do not want to run the farm, so they look at different options such as leasing before settling on an equity partnership.

Check out B+LNZ’s resources on equity partnerships.

Breakfeeds are shorter podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Check out our other resources on farm succession here

Follow the (fictional) Richards family as they deal with family challenges during farm succession conversations, working through all the mine fields that could tear a family apart. In this podcast, they discuss communication, family meetings, engaging everyone and setting goals.

Breakfeeds are shorter podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Check out our other resources on farm succession here

Agribusiness in Schools in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, NZQA and the primary industries have collaborated to design an agribusiness programme that will prepare the best and brightest students for careers in the primary sector. Beef + Lamb New Zealand have been a proud partner of the programme since its conception in 2014. Hear from founding members John Jackson and Hon Nathan Guy on how the programme began, where the programme is today with Agribusiness Project Curriculum Director. Kerry Allen and hear first hand from current and past students on the impact the programme is having on careers within the food and fibre sector.

Find out more at  https://www.agribusiness.school.nz/ 

The Beef Progeny Test was a 5-year project run by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics, comparing bulls under commercial farming conditions. B+LNZ Genetics has been analysing the dataset collected from those farms to identify valuable insights for stud breeders and commercial farmers. In this podcast, Jason Archer, Livestock Genetics Specialist at B+LNZ Genetics, delves into some of the insights on measuring and predicting finishing performance in beef cattle.

Discussion explores the important role of 'subcutaneous fat', which is measured through rib fat depth, and 'intramuscular fat' also known as marbling, as well as the relationship between these traits. Jason also discusses different tools used to improve carcass traits – such as estimated breeding values (EBVs) and ultrasound scanning – and how effective they are at predicting marbling and rib fat depth within a carcass.

Useful links:

• Read more (and see the graphs referred to in this podcast) on the B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test Results page: https://www.blnzgenetics.com/beef-progeny-test-results

Shepherdess is a more than a women’s magazine. It captures everyday life and extraordinary stories and is documenting the things that matter to communities across provincial Aotearoa. From the women, for the land. We are joined by Kristy McGregor, Publisher and Editor-In-Chief, who dives into all of the corners of the venture that started back in 2019.

This podcast was recorded in February 2024.

Farmers can reap many benefits by participating in New Zealand’s national Open Farm Day, set for Sunday, 10 March 2024. We talk with Open Farms founder Daniel Eb about the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from farmer hosts and why a significant number of hosts return each year to be part of the initiative.

Daniel dives into the many benefits for farmers – direct and indirect – and how it is much more manageable than farmers might anticipate.

B+LNZ encourages you to consider hosting an event. Research shows that firsthand experiences are unmatched when it comes to creating better understanding with urban folk.

If you’re considering hosting an Open Farms Day, visit the official website here.

Recorded on a Beef + Lamb New Zealand webinar. Dr. Ty Beal is a well-recognised expert on global food systems, and the impact of dietary patterns on human health and the environment. Through an evidence-based approach, Dr. Beal presents a balanced view for the role of animal sourced foods (with a focus on red meat) in sustainable global diets.

View the presentation with Dr. Beal’s slides on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTb288eHv6c

In the sixth Beef + Lamb New Zealand ‘Parasite Chronicles’ podcast, Sarah Perriam-Lampp talks with Carlos Segura about how and why he is reducing drench inputs in his farm system. Carlos manages sheep and beef on Manunui Station, in Taumarunui and was part of a B+LNZ Research funded study, carried out by Massey University, to understand how and why farmers are already farming with less drench.