The Country Full Show: Tuesday, July 4, 2023

File photo / Bevan Conley

Today on The Country, Jamie Mackay catches up with Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Damien O’Connor, to find out more about his recent trip to China.

On with the show:

Damien O’Connor:

We catch up with the Minister of Agriculture and Trade, following his address to the PINZ Summit earlier this morning in Wellington. We ask about his sales pitch to the primary sector, the recent successful trade trip to China, and who’s left in the Labour caucus to help the PM.

Tim Dangen:

We continue our series on “Old Young Farmers of the Year” with one of the youngest, the 2022 Grand Final winner (in Whangarei). We look back on his challenging year with the Cloak of Knowledge and profile the contestants in this year’s Grand Final coming up in Timaru from Thursday through Saturday - his sister Emma Poole, Lisa Kendall, Mac Williams, Patrick Crawshaw, Nick and Peter O’Connor and Hugh Jackson.

Jack Jordan:

King Country farmer and New Zealand’s top axemen. He recently won the STIHL Timbersports World Trophy – shattering the world record time in the process, beating a field of 16 of the best axemen on the planet to win the title for the second year in a row in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The STIHL Timbersports World Trophy format is like the 20/20 cricket of international woodchopping. It is a quick-fire event with four disciplines back-to-back suited to competitors with superior fitness and endurance as they make their way through the knockout stages to the showdown. He also used to play a bit of footy for Taranaki.

Karen Williams:

Wairarapa farmer, and former Vice President of Federated Farmers, wraps proceedings at the PINZ Summit and talks about the big wet down on the farm.

Craig Wiggins:

One of New Zealand’s leading rural sports commentators pays tribute to Jack Jordan, talks about SIDE in Southland, and his “Lean on a Gate, Talk to a Mate” rural mental health initiative.

Listen below: