The Country - Pigs edition

Today on The Country, Jamie Mackay investigates how African swine fever could be positive for New Zealand's protein exports.

On with the show:

Chris Brandolino:

NIWA's chief weather scientist, and Ronan Keating look-alike, offers a mainly fine forecast for farmers and for the fight against the feathered foe.

Winston Peters:

We ask the Deputy PM what China's Belt and Road Initiative means and what it means for world trade, if he claims credit for the demise of CGT and, as a former MP for Tauranga, does he feel sympathy for the incumbent member.

Mike Petersen:

We catch up with New Zealand's Special Agricultural Trade Envoy in Germany to talk China's Belt and Road Initiative, the positive protein fallout from African swine fever and Brexit continually kicking the can down the road.

Shane McManaway:

We catch up with the chief executive of Allflex at the Dairy Women's Network conference in the newly-refurbished Christchurch Town Hall ahead of tonight's announcement of the 2019 Dairy Woman of the Year.

Listen below:

Hayden Higgins:

Rabobank's Hawkes Bay-based Horticulture and Wine Analyst looks at the local harvest and the importance of China and wider Asia to NZ horticulture.

Jim Hopkins:

Is a rural raconteur who takes The Country's host to task over his handling of Winston Peters and he applauds Derek Daniell's take on climate change and the importance of farming to the New Zealand economy.