On Farm Legal with Tavendale + Partners

Trade expert and commercial mediator and negotiator, David Ferguson from Tavendale and Partners spoke with Erin Speedy on The Rural Roundup about what exactly the newly minted Indian free trade agreement will mean for New Zealand as part of the On Farm Legal series.

The Mid Canterbury Catchment Collective was the topic of the discussion today on our On Farm Legal series.

We caught up with Young Farmers CEO, Cheyne Gillooly, to chat about how things are travelling for them and the challenges they face.

We're joined by Honor Mills from Tavendale & Partners, winner of the 2025 Young Achiever Award at the South Island Property People Awards. We caught up with her to discuss her career, the complexities of rural land transactions and her advice for your professionals

RMA reform — the reality behind the announcement – Part 2. There’s been no shortage of headlines around the Government’s latest Resource Management Act reform announcements. The challenge is working out what actually matters, and what it means on the ground for farmers, landowners, councils, and rural businesses. In our Legal Matters segment, we’ve just been joined by Johanna King from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠, one of the most credible legal voices in this space, to cut through the noise and explain the real implications in plain English. We also chip into the local government reforms — how changes to council structures, decision-making, and accountability tie into RMA reform, and why the two can’t be looked at in isolation. Johanna unpacked what’s genuinely changing, what’s transitional, and where the risks and opportunities sit as the RMA winds down and the new system takes shape.

RMA reform — the reality behind the announcement. There’s been no shortage of headlines around the Government’s latest Resource Management Act reform announcements. The challenge is working out what actually matters, and what it means on the ground for farmers, landowners, councils, and rural businesses. In our Legal Matters segment, we’ve just been joined by Johanna King from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠, one of the most credible legal voices in this space, to cut through the noise and explain the real implications in plain English. We also chip into the local government reforms — how changes to council structures, decision-making, and accountability tie into RMA reform, and why the two can’t be looked at in isolation. Johanna unpacked what’s genuinely changing, what’s transitional, and where the risks and opportunities sit as the RMA winds down and the new system takes shape.

Andy chats with Anthony Drake an expert in employment law and partner at Tavendale and Partners about the impact of contracting in the farming sector.

Today, we're joined by Kirsten Todd, partner at Tavendale & Partners and an expert in rural and commercial law. She gives a straight-up breakdown on one of the biggest shifts in the red-meat sector has seen in decades. Alliance Group's farmer shareholders voted a few weeks ago to approve the sale of 65% stake to Ireland's Dawn Meats.

Today on The Rural Roundup we wrap up our multi-week look at succession as part of Legal Matters with Tavendale & Partners, expertly navigating the primary sector's legal landscape.   For the finale, Andy was joined by:Mark Tavendale – South IslandMark Copeland – North Island   We compare how succession plays out across both islands, ask whether being a cashed-up dairy operation makes succession easier than on lower-return sheep, beef or cropping farms, and look at whether scale helps or hinders, is it simpler on a small family place or a larger multi-farm business?

Part 3 of our Succession and Wealth Transfer discussion with Mark Tavendale. They're huge challenges for our NZ Farming families. Rising land values and modern pressures make planning vital.

Part 2 - Succession and wealth transfer are huge challenges for NZ farming families. Rising land values and modern pressures make planning vital. In the second of 3 chats with Mark Tavendale, from Tavendale & Partners, we cover succession 101 - the basics every farming family needs to know.

Succession and wealth transfer are huge challenges for NZ farming families. Rising land values & modern pressures make planning vital. In the first of 3 chats with Mark Tavendale from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠, we cover Succession 101 – the basics every farming family needs to know.

Johnathon Mason - Chair of the NZ-US Council bought to you by Tavendale & Partners

Alana Crampton from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ is back with Andy to discuss the importance of Vendor due diligence to realising the best sale, price as farmers prepare to list their properties in the Spring.

Sam Chidgey from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ is back with Andy with an update on the wave of dairy conversion in Canterbury, the detail around the realities of conversion, and the window of opportunity.

Andy spoke with Richard Rodden from ⁠⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠⁠ about the new updates regarding the Public Works Act, and how this could impact our rural friends.

Andy and Sam Chidgey from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ discuss the new powers given to the Minister to make changes to Regional and District plans. They also discuss the proposed changes to RMA by Minister Chris Bishop affecting the National Policy Statement on highly productive land.

Andy investigates the risk of de-registration for the thousands of incorporated societies that lie at the heart of many of our rural communities. Jonathan Pow from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ explains the importance of changing and updating constitutions for re-registration before it’s too late.

Do you know that your 3-year sharemilking contract is the same length of time that the Property (Relationships) Act determines you should share equally all of your assets and equity if you separated from your partner or spouse? Andy and Alana Crampton from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ discuss the Property (Relationships) Act and how it applies to farming partnerships.

The lads from Tavendale and Partners, Guy Polson (Business & Strategy Advisor) and Matt Davidson (Partner) joined Andy to discuss the process of farm debt mediation.

Andy spoke with Mark Tavendale and Kirsten Todd from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ about investing in New Zealand and what the current legislation both allows for and is intended for.

Andy caught up with Guy Polson, Business Advisor from ⁠Tavendale and Partners Limited⁠ to discuss the importance of building your on-farm business team.

Andy chats with Mark Tavendale, of Tavendale and Partners, about the services they offer and how they are tailored to the rural sector.

Andy caught up with Billy and Ben at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. This year’s Awards is the first time that there has been a Catchment Group Showcase – so there is no award given, rather the Group is given the opportunity to tell their story more widely

Andy caught up with Clinton Tamati, General Manager Trusts and Estates, from Tavendale and Partners Limited again. This time to discuss the Trusteeship as part of good governance.

Matt Davidson joined Andy to discuss corporate investment in rural land

Clinton Tamati, General Manager Trusts and Estates for Tavendale & Partners joined Andy to discuss the importance of Trusts and managing them properly

Leandra joined the show to discuss equity parneternips when it comes to your farming business

On Farm Legal - Tavendale and Partners Henry Moore and Pippa Hayward on making the transition from grassroots sport to elite level

Guy Pulson • Business and Strategy Advisor at TP, working with the firm’s clients on their business and Adrian Loo, Forestry consultant with The Forest Management Group

Alana Crampton from Tavendale and Partners joined the show to discuss the nuances of share milking contracts

Kirsten Todd + Guy Polson from Tavendale & Partners joined the show to talk about Director's Duties when it comes to your farm

Kirsten Todd + Guy Polson from Tavendale & Partners joined the show to talk about Director's Duties when it comes to your farm

Kirsten Todd Guy Polson join the show to talk about Directors Duties when it comes to companies

Johanna King - from Tavendale & Partners joins us for our on farm legal segment this week to discuss the grey area around highly productive land

Tavendale and Partners Johanna King joins the show to discuss diligence when buying or selling a rural farm or property.

Richard Rodden from Tavendale & Partners joins the show to discuss the Public Works Act and what you can do if it impacts you.

Mark Tavendale is LIVE with Andy at the Tavendale and Partners event down in Ashburton.