FULL SHOW - 13th May 2026

CountryWide Connect – Show Summary (Working backwards from 1pm to 11am) We finish at 12:48 with the North/South Farmer Panel featuring Tim Gorton and Craig Hickman debating imported American butter, local government reform, agtech overload and the increasingly strategic issue of BBQ smoking charcoal. At 12:33, Annabel Davies, Nature Investment Officer at Pāmu, discusses the state farming organisation’s new partnership with True Nature exploring large-scale native restoration and the development of high-integrity nature credits across parts of the Pāmu farm network. At 12:18, Kate Taylor, Central Hawke’s Bay district councillor and rural journalist, joins us to discuss local government reform, council restructuring and whether regional councils in their current form have a future. At 12:05, Australian rural correspondent Libby Price breaks down the Australian Budget and what it means for farmers, inflation, trade and the wider rural economy. At 12:00 it’s Rural News with Farmlands. At 11:48, Robbie Ferris, Chairperson of Pasture Summit and Director and GM of Piriaka Farms, wraps this week’s Waikato Pasture Summit, discussing pasture profitability, progression pathways and practical farm performance. At 11:33, Steve Chappell, Programme Manager for the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, previews the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards, where AI, automation and practical farm technology dominate this year’s innovation trends. At 11:18, Lauren McConnachie, winner of the 2026 NZ Dairy Industry Awards Dairy Manager of the Year title, joins us to discuss leadership, sustainability and managing one of New Zealand’s larger dairy operations. We kick off at 11:05 with Jo Luxton, Labour spokesperson for Agriculture, Biosecurity and Customs, discussing Labour’s agricultural policy direction, rural priorities and local government reform.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.