Listen to The Country online: Otago bird flu outbreak with MPI’s director-general Ray Smith

On today's show: MPI director-general Ray Smith spoke to Jamie Mackay about the bird flu outbreak on an Otago chicken farm. Photo / 123rf

Today on The Country radio show, host Jamie Mackay catches up with Ray Smith, Ministry for Primary Industries director general, for an update on the Otago chicken farm with an outbreak of bird flu.

On with the show:

Ray Smith:

The director general of MPI updates the situation on the ground with the Otago outbreak of the high pathogenic bird flu - where MPI is now eradicating 80,000 birds.

Dan Boulton:

The chief executive of Silver Fern Farms responds to criticism from high-profile farmer Jane Smith.

Has SFF gone woke or broke? Why do we need to reduce emissions? Aren’t we already the most efficient in the world?

Our sheep and beef numbers have been in decline, aren’t we already doing enough? What’s Silver Fern Farms’ view on carbon farming?

Kate Acland:

The chairwoman of Beef + Lamb NZ says a new report shows New Zealand is out of step with climate change policies globally.

Sheep and beef farmers have not been “let off the hook” and their emissions have dropped 35% since 1990.

Sir David Fagan:

The world’s greatest shearer talks about Boris Johnson, and the lengths (quite literally) shearers go to, to compete.

We preview Shear for Life on Feb 1 at Ashburton and ask how the dairy farm is going in Te Kuiti.

Listen below: