The Country

It’s Arable Week here on The Country, and today we're talking to a Methven cropping farmer who, along with his wife Mel, was crowned the Arable Farmers of the Year at the 2026 Arable Awards. John was also the 2006 Young Farmer of the Year, and he’s Richie’s cousin.

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The Opportunity Party deputy leader and agriculture spokesman defends his party’s agricultural emissions policy, and we debate whether he’s trying to kneecap NZ’s most productive sector. And is Opportunity really a centrist party when the centre-right has already ruled it out?

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We catch up with the chief executive of NZ Apples and Pears on the eve of her departure to India, as we look to cash in on the newly ratified FTA.

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A Rabobank Upper North Island client council member and Te Puke kiwifruit grower talks about the season and the Rabobank HortPathways programme attended by 25 emerging leaders from across the horticulture sector.

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Jamie Mackay talks to Todd McClay, Dr Robyn Dynes, Callum McCallum, Jo Luxton, and Grant Weller.

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The Minister of Trade and Agriculture celebrates the ratification of the Indian FTA. Could it be, as the Prime Minister suggested, a free trade agreement that far exceeds expectations? And does he face a challenge from Andrew Hoggard for his agriculture portfolio?

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It’s Arable Week here on The Country, and a leading agricultural scientist asks what the risks are if we outsource all our feed, food and seeds to international markets.

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We catch up with the director of McCallum Bros, the company awarded the Government contract to provide future shipping services to the Chatham and Pitt Islands. We discuss the challenges of shipping to the Chatham Islands and what this new service means for the region's farming future.

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Labour’s agriculture spokeswoman is on the receiving end of some rare praise on today’s show.

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Southland sheep and beef farmer and the 2011 winner of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Today we discuss the third consecutive saturated September in the deep south as El Niño bites hard.

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