Today's edition of The Country is brought to you the year 1977 and the sweet yet slightly sinister sound of The Eagles' Hotel California. Monday’s resident weather expert Phil Duncan says summer’s first foray is upon us this week. Minister of Finance Bill English discusses the cost of the earthquakes, the prospect of tax cuts and his performance in the Queenstown half marathon. Today's panel features Steve Wyn-Harris and Grant McCallum, a Central Hawke's Bay sheep farmer and a Northland cow cocky who discuss the farming fallout from the quakes and the prospects for dairy lamb.
Latest Video
Farmer enriches Burgess Stream ecosystem
Andrew Gilchrist has added 4500 native plants to his Swannanoa farm over the last three years to enhance 2.5km of the Burgess stream.
Successful farming career spanning four decades
Keeping positive and sustaining a good work-life balance has led Nelson and Fiona Hancox to grow a large-scale sheep and beef operation across three West Otago properties. Video / OTD
Initiative to encourage farmers to connect with community
Upper Clutha’s Stu and Sarah Jamieson started the Farmers versus Tradies annual cricket match to encourage farmers to get off-farm more often. Video / ODT
Integrated Farm Plan works for Andrew Gilchrist
Swannanoa farmer Andrew Gilchrist has found an Integrated Farm Plan helpful for his business.
Positive feedback for SDI system
Gary and Penny Robinson's Subsurface Drip Irrigation system is working well for Maniototo sharemilker, Luke Jeffries.
Fernside farmer using genomic data
Julie Bradshaw has been empowered to make decisions on which cows to focus on by using genomic data.
Farm viability improved through precision agriculture
Farmer Roscoe Taggart has been trialling a Yara N sensor on his family’s 730-hectare arable and sheep farm in Cust.
Maintaining milk production with fewer cows
Fernside dairy farmer Julie Bradshaw, using genomic information provided by LIC, has reduced her herd by 15.
The Big Check-in
Host Te Radar explains The Big Check-in, an online event to support rural people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Southland stud farmers stunned by ram prices
For the second year running, a Blackdale Stud Texel ram has topped the Gore Ram Sale. Video / Sandy Eggleston
The Country's Cub Cadet slalom
Jamie Mackay challenges Rowena Duncum to a Steelfort "Political Slalom" on the Cub Cadet LX547 ride-on mower.
Quality data helps refine dairy herd
Julie Bradshaw says good quality animal data is key to improving the efficiency of her farming operation.
Farmer's sensor-based nitrogen application trial
Cust farmer Roscoe Taggart hopes to prove the benefits of using sensor-based nitrogen application on his farm. Video / MPI
Cust farmers' subsurface drop irrigation trial
Gary and Penny Robinson are ready to study the data from their trial. Video / MPI
FieldaysTV 2022 - All the action from Day 2
Day 2 of Fieldays did not disappoint - check out all the action from in the studio and out in the field with FieldaysTV. Video / Supplied
Local Focus: Gisborne, Wairoa and Ōpōtiki women get first dibs at Muster
Early bird tickets to the Shepherdess Muster available Thursday for locals
Focus Live: PM announcing plan on reducing agricultural emissions
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, and Climate Change Minister James Shaw are making an announcement in the Wairarapa on the Government's plan to reduce agricultural emissions. Video / Mark Mitchell
Polar blast sweeps New Zealand
October snow falls in Christchurch for first time in 53 years; polar blast sweeps through South Island, Wellington - cold temperatures in Auckland. Video / Supplied
Local Focus: Marcus Buddo on Candidate Camera
Marcus Buddo has been on the rural community board for the last three years.
Local Focus: John Roil on Candidate Camera
Talking about Kahurānaki General Ward, a rural area, he worries about the road and bridge conditions there.
Local Focus: Shirley Trumper on Candidate Camera
Rotorua Rural Ward candidate Shirley Trumper discusses the big rural issues.
Wedderburn pub life a drawcard for Jen Kirchhofer
Auckland digital marketer and strategist Jen Kirchhofer, who originally hailed from the United States recently took up a job at Wedderburn pub. Video / ODT
The seventh Southern Indoor Charity Dog Trials
The seventh Southern Indoor Charity Dog Trials at Waimumu raised money for Hospice Southland. Video / Sandy Eggleston
Dunedin vet calls for cat controls
A Dunedin veterinarian says introducing cat controls is about the welfare of the animals, not killing them. Video / ODT
The 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards
Judges sample bacon and ham to decide who gets gold, silver and bronze medals at the awards.
Fernside dairy farmer's passion for genetics
Four of Julie Bradshaw's cows have been selected for LIC's breeding programme.
Focus: Minister of Agriculture on foot and mouth disease
Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor spoke about the country's biosecurity systems and the threat of foot and mouth disease should it reach New Zealand. Video / Mark Mitchell
Focus Live: PM Jacinda Ardern holds Post-Cabinet press conference
PM Jacinda Ardern to talk about foot and mouth, Green Party troubles, and Three Waters at press conference. Video / Mark Mitchell
Testing establishes exact fertiliser needs for Cust farmer
Roscoe Taggart is using a handheld nitrogen tester in conjunction with nitrogen sensors to apply the right amount of fertiliser on-farm.
Focus: Wild weather batters the country
Heavy rain and high winds have battered the country as a front travels North. Video / George Heard / NZ Herald / Ōpōtiki District Council
$9300 for top dog at Gore sale
$9300 has been paid for a top farm dog at the annual sale in Gore. Made with funding from NZ On Air. Video / Michael Curreen / ODT
Baseline set for subsurface irrigation trial
Cust dairy grazers Penny and Gary Robinson have established a good baseline for the next season of their subsurface drip irrigation trial.
Sharing knowledge enables better farming decisions
Fernside farmer Julie Bradshaw and Flaxton farmer Stu Bailey participated in a five-year NIWA co-innovation study.
Seasonal workers graduate cooking class
Seasonal horticultural workers showed off their confidence in the kitchen after learning how to cook as part of free training funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Video / Shannon Thomson
Subsurface irrigation trial in Cust
Cust dairy grazers Gary and Penny Robinson are trialling a subsurface irrigation system.
Cust farmer using precision technology
Roscoe Taggart has seen benefits from using precision technology on his family's farm.
Snow blankets the Crown Range
Snow blankets the Crown Range road as a wintry blast moves through the country. Video / George Heard
Focus: Robertson and O'Connor on agriculture emissions
Thomas Coughlan questions why agriculture is getting $750m in funding when the industry doesn't contribute to the ETS. Video / Mark Mitchell
Bumper wine harvest for Central
Whether hand-picked or machine harvested, Central Otago growers and winemakers look likely to harvest all of their fruit for the 2022 vintage. Video / ODT