Farmers Weekly Podcast

This week’s podcast covers Silver Fern Farms’ return to profit and growing calls for an inquiry into vegetable processing closures and food resilience, featuring senior reporter Neal Wallace and Green Party ag spokesperson Steve Abel.

Green Party agriculture spokesperson Steve Abel discusses his call for an inquiry into McCain and Heinz Wattie’s closures, highlighting concerns over food resilience and local production.

Senior reporter Neal Wallace discusses Silver Fern Farms’ annual result, which reveals a turn to profitability after a loss last year.

(00:00:00) Full Show | March 27

(00:02:09) Aussie farmers up against global forces

(00:07:10) Uncertain future for vegetable and grain growers

(00:15:40) Foreign investors back in the game

(00:25:31) Feds submits to Health and Safety Amendment Bill

This week on Farmers Weekly Podcast, we unpack the mounting global and local pressures shaping agriculture. AgriHQ’s Alex Coddington breaks down turmoil in Australia’s red meat sector following a controversial EU trade deal, while Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Will Foley raises alarm over the future of NZ vegetable and grain production after major processing pullbacks. 

We also explore renewed interest from foreign investors in New Zealand’s primary industries with Findex’s Hayden Dillon, and Federated Farmers weighs in on proposed health and safety law changes impacting the sector.

Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Will Foley says he’s deeply disappointed by recent moves from McCain and Heinz-Wattie’s to scale back or halt vegetable processing in New Zealand. With around 9,000 hectares of production in the region, Foley believes it may be time for a broader conversation about how the country’s food industry is structured.