Listen to The Country online with Jamie Mackay: Federated Farmers celebrates 125 years

Happy 125th Federated Farmers: President Wayne Langford (centre) with board members, David Birkett (left), Mark Hooper, Sandra Faulkner, and Colin Hurst. Photo / Federated Farmers

Today on The Country radio show, host Jamie Mackay celebrates 125 years of Federated Farmers by catching up with current president Wayne Langford, former president Katie Milne, and David Acland, a descendent of one of Feds’ founding members, Henry Acland.

On with the show:

Christopher Luxon:

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ponders his media choices and his best-performing Ministers. He then discusses 125 years of Federated Farmers and why the primary sector will get us out of our economic mire.

He then talks about David Seymour and Winston Peters before ducking for cover on Chris Hipkins’ longevity as Opposition leader.

Mike Cronin:

Fonterra’s head of cooperative affairs reviews another positive GDT auction; up 0.8% on the back of peak volumes should be “warmly embraced”.

Whole milk powder is up 1.5%, skim milk powder is up 2.2%, anhydrous milk fat is down 1.2%, butter is down 1.7%, and cheese is up 2.9%.

Plus, today Fonterra announced a further $150 million investment earmarked for a new cool store at its Whareroa site in Taranaki, following recent investments in Edendale ($150 million) and Studholme ($75 million). All up - $375 million.

Katie Milne:

She broke the “grass ceiling” when she became the first female president of Federated Farmers in 2017 (and had to deal with Mycoplasma bovis and Covid on her watch). Today we look back on some of the Feds presidents of the last 30 years.

David Acland:

This well-known Canterbury farmer (and husband of Beef + Lamb NZ chairwoman Kate) runs Mt Somers Station and is the descendent of one of the forebears of Federated Farmers - Henry Acland. His grandfather’s uncle was one of the original members of the NZ Sheep Owners’ Association (formed in  Canterbury in 1910), which combined in 1945 with the NZ Farmers’ Union (formed in Northland on this day in 1899) to establish Federated Farmers.

Wayne Langford:

Federated Farmers’ current president reflects on 125 years of speaking up for farmers. Plus, he talks about what he would like his legacy to be.

Listen below: