Federated Farmers Podcast

Hosted by Federated Farmers of NZ

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Episodes

111

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Federated Farmers Podcast is your weekly guide to the issues affecting rural New Zealand. Join us as we unpack the policies, challenges and big ideas shaping life on farm. With frank conversations from farmers, advocates and experts, we break down what matters and why, so you can stay informed, prepared and heard. Hosted by Ben Chapman-Smith, Federated Farmers' communications manager, who grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Te Akau on Waikato's west coast.

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60 recent

October 26, 202649 min

Richard Harman: New players, new power, new politics | EP 111

New Zealand politics is shifting, the old party loyalties are under pressure, and the make-up of the next government is far from certain. So, what’s really driving this election and what could it all mean for farmers? Veteran political journalist Richard Harman joins us to look beyond the campaign headlines at the changing political landscape, the fight for the rural vote, the rise of smaller parties and the big decisions facing the next government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October 19, 202620 min

Is it time to rewrite the sharemilking laws? | EP 110

Contract milking has become an important part of the dairy farming progression pathway, yet contract milkers miss out on legal protections available to sharemilkers, even when they’re doing essentially the same job. So, is it time to rewrite the rules? In this episode, Federated Farmers sharefarmer chair Sam Ebbett and sharefarm owner chair Brendan Attrill unpack what the current gaps mean for both farm owners and operators, and how the rules could be modernised without losing flexibility. With the election approaching, they explain what Federated Farmers wants the next government to do, why better protections matter when disputes arise, and what’s at stake for the next generation trying to get a foot on the dairy farming ladder. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October 12, 202646 min

My dad – a good keen man | EP 109

He ditched the city for shearing sheds across New Zealand, a Mexican shearing gang in California, and managing a farm for a Lord in England. Eventually, Alan Chapman-Smith settled on the rugged west coast of Waikato to raise a family and make his living off the land. In this episode, our host Ben sits down with his dad to hear the story of a life spent farming. Alan, known as 'Chappy', reflects on what drew him from Auckland to shearing and farming, what life was like for a farmer 50-odd years ago, surviving the upheaval of Rogernomics, how farming has changed, and why he eventually decided it was time to leave the land. There’s a personal reason for this conversation, too. With Alan facing some health challenges, Ben wanted to capture his dad’s story for his own kids, and their kids, to hear one day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October 5, 20261 hr 31 min

Politicians go head-to-head on farming | EP 108

Want to know where the main parties stand on the issues that matter most to farmers and rural New Zealand? Hosted by Heather du Plessis-Allan at Mystery Creek, the Rural Issues Debate on 30 September brought together Todd McClay (National), Jo Luxton (Labour), Mark Patterson (NZ First), Andrew Hoggard (ACT) and Steve Abel (Green). The 90-minute debate covered the future of the ETS, whole-farm forestry conversions, the India FTA, rural connectivity, taxation, on-farm solar, the Paris Agreement and much more, with plenty of robust debate along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 28, 202620 min

Farming with drones – are they actually useful? | EP 107

East Coast farmer Blair Crawshaw has been using drones for eight years, putting them to work mustering stock, finding missing animals and pests, and checking for problems across his steep Motu farm, Tawa Hills Angus. In this episode, we get practical about how farmers can actually use a drone on farm — what it’s good for, what it can’t do, and what you need to know before buying one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 21, 202631 min

What if the meatworks came to the farm? | EP 106

When a friend asked Logan Wait to provide some meat for an event post-Covid, he realised there was a problem: he had the animals, but no easy way to get meat from the farm to the people who wanted it. That question led him to found Earth First, New Zealand’s first certified mobile abattoir of its kind. His big idea is simple: what if the meatworks came to the farm, instead of the animal going to the meatworks? Logan joins us to talk about leaving a corporate job in Auckland, returning to the family farm and building a new way for farmers to process and sell their meat. His vision is for Kiwis to have easier, more affordable access to high-quality meat, while helping farmers keep more of the value rather than losing it along the supply chain. Links www.earthfirst.org.nz/contact See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 14, 202645 min

Why our pest problem is bigger than hunting | EP 105

South Canterbury farmer Lesley Roy has taken more than 1,500 wallabies and 40 pigs off her farm this year – but despite that huge effort, the numbers are barely changing. With pigs destroying pasture and eating lambs, and wallabies continually damaging fences and fowling paddocks, Lesley says pest control has become an endless battle. And her experience highlights a much bigger problem facing farmers across New Zealand. In this episode, Lesley and Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson Richard Dawkins discuss the scale of the pest problem, why farmers feel like they’re fighting the same battle year after year, and what needs to change if New Zealand is serious about getting on top of it. See the Federated Farmers 2026 Pest Survey Report See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

September 7, 202640 min

The Kate Acland story: embracing the uncomfortable | EP 104

Kate Acland has built a career out of figuring out what to do when the original plan stops working. From starting a wine business in her 20s and navigating the GFC, to moving into farming and building a diverse operation at Mt Somers Station, Kate has repeatedly had to adapt, take risks and back herself. Today, she’s chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the inaugural Rural Woman of the Year. In this candid conversation, Kate talks about the challenges that have shaped her, the moments that have pushed her forward, and the realities of leadership, imposter syndrome, succession and raising a family on the farm. She also shares her advice for young rural women, why putting your hand up before you feel ready can be worthwhile, and what she’s learned about finding a way forward when things don’t go to plan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 31, 202631 min

Why this farmer is leasing his way to farm ownership | EP 103

For Taranaki sheep and beef farmer Nick Brown and his wife Sophie, farm ownership is definitely the goal – but they're taking a different route to get there. Rather than putting their capital into buying land, the couple are leasing 800 hectares and focusing their money on the productive assets that generate income. In this episode, Nick explains why he thinks leasing is a great way for young farmers to build equity, why older farm owners should be open to the idea, and why longer leases and more ambitious bank lending could help more young farmers build a pathway into farm ownership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 25, 202641 min

From crazy idea to new farming industry | EP 102

From warm cups of sheep milk in China to influencers livestreaming from New Zealand paddocks, the global demand for sheep milk is creating a surprising new opportunity for Kiwi farmers. In this episode, Spring Sheep CEO Thomas Macdonald and Commercial Manager Operations Olivia Smith take us inside the rise of New Zealand’s sheep dairy industry. They explain how an unconventional experiment has developed into a growing industry built around Spring Sheep’s own Zealandia breed, a network of farmers and increasingly strong international demand. We dig into what makes sheep dairying work, the economics for farmers, why developing a purpose-bred sheep was essential, and how big this emerging industry could become. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.