Listen: Shane Jones' apology to farmers 'an embarrassment' - Nathan Guy

National spokesman for agriculture, Nathan Guy. Photo / Supplied

Nathan Guy is unhappy with Shane Jones' recent mea culpa on The Country, calling the Forestry Minister's apology to farmers "an embarrassment".

National's Spokesman for Agriculture labelled Jones' attempt a "Clayton's apology" when he spoke to Jamie Mackay today.

"I just thought it was bloody embarrassing".

Last week Jones accused farmers of "bitching and moaning" in an interview with Mackay.

He then returned later in the week for a second interview to clarify his comments, after "getting a growling" from his farming uncle.

The Forestry Minister said he was referring to advocacy groups, rather than all farmers, in an apology that Guy found disingenuous.

"He comes on your show and says 'oh yeah, yeah, I need to say sorry' and then he just gets stuck into Fed Farmers and anyone else that moves".

Mackay speculated that perhaps Jones had been told to apologise by his leader Winston Peters, who "makes a real play for the farming vote".

"It wouldn't have just been his New Zealand First mates saying ... pull your head in" said Guy, who reckoned farmers "up and down the country" would have been ringing his office.

"It would have been a whole lot of farmers ... saying 'what planet are you on? We're the ones that generate about 45 billion dollars of exports and you're treating us like we're all just a bunch of bloody moaners' ".

"I just don't get it".

Also in today's interview: Guy says forestry is a threat to farming and talks about rural lobby group 50 Shades of Green.