Farmers are sounding the alarm, warning the sheep industry is collapsing. 

Numbers in flocks have declined from 70 million just over 40 years ago to 25 million today.  

Farmers say carbon farming is the main factor, with 260 thousand hectares of land converted into forestry between 2017 and 2024. 

They say the farms harbour pests like stoats, feral pigs, and deer, which come onto their land and harm their livestock. 

Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard told Ryan Bridge the problem has grown in the last three or four years – a lack of hunting during the Covid lockdowns seemingly allowing pests to breed. 

He says as they redo the Biosecurity Act, they’ll be looking at the clause dictating a landowner must maintain and control pests within their boundary, to see if it needs tightening. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Farmers are sounding the alarm, warning the sheep industry is collapsing.&nbsp;
Numbers in flocks have declined from 70 million just over 40 years ago to 25 million today. &nbsp;
Farmers say carbon farming is the main factor, with 260 thousand hectares of land converted into forestry between 2017 and 2024.&nbsp;
They say the farms harbour pests like stoats, feral pigs, and deer, which come onto their land and harm their livestock.&nbsp;
Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard told Ryan Bridge the problem has grown in the last three or four years – a lack of hunting during the Covid lockdowns seemingly allowing pests to breed.&nbsp;
He says as they redo the Biosecurity Act, they’ll be looking at the clause dictating a landowner must maintain and control pests within their boundary, to see if it needs tightening.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Andrew Hoggard: Associate Agriculture Minister on the Save our Sheep campaign, impact of carbon farming

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/35ac9e1a-295a-47ca-a856-b2e901782ca1/transcript

Allowing less pure fuel into the country could shore up supply.  

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has asked fuel importers what specifications could be relaxed to make it easier for them to get more in.  

Waitomo Group Chief Executive Simon Parham says there could be a relaxing of the rules to allow more sulphur content in our diesel.  

He told Ryan Bridge that we only allow fuel with less than 10 parts per million sulphur content. 

Parham says the US allows 15 parts per million and Australia has relaxed to 50 parts per million.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

Allowing less pure fuel into the country could shore up supply. &nbsp;
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has asked fuel importers what specifications could be relaxed to make it easier for them to get more in. &nbsp;
Waitomo Group Chief Executive Simon Parham says there could be a relaxing of the rules to allow more sulphur content in our diesel. &nbsp;
He told Ryan Bridge that we only allow fuel with less than 10 parts per million sulphur content.&nbsp;
Parham says the US allows 15 parts per million and Australia has relaxed to 50 parts per million. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Simon Parham: Waitomo Group CEO on the fuel regulations that could be relaxed to help mitigate the fuel crisis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/676deb7d-26c5-4c73-adc2-b41201703231/transcript

A three-decade surge in how much unhealthy food we eat.  

New research from Auckland University, published in the Globalisation and Health journal, shows New Zealand's imports of ultra-processed food increased from 16 kilograms in 1990, to 104 in 2023.  

Past studies show about 70% of packaged food in our supermarkets is ultra-processed. 

Nutritionist Nikki Hart told Ryan Bridge it's often disguised.  

She says it's canned food, crackers, and biscuits that are presented with a health claim. 

Kids are also feeding into unhealthy food branding, Hart saying products are designed to catch their attention.  

She says there's a lot of money and time going into it, as our rates of child obesity rise. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A three-decade surge in how much unhealthy food we eat. &nbsp;
New research from Auckland University, published in the Globalisation and Health journal, shows New Zealand's imports of ultra-processed food increased from 16 kilograms in 1990, to 104 in 2023. &nbsp;
Past studies show about 70% of packaged food in our supermarkets is ultra-processed.&nbsp;
Nutritionist Nikki Hart told Ryan Bridge it's often disguised. &nbsp;
She says it's canned food, crackers, and biscuits that are presented with a health claim.&nbsp;
Kids are also feeding into unhealthy food branding, Hart saying products are designed to catch their attention. &nbsp;
She says there's a lot of money and time going into it, as our rates of child obesity rise.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Nikki Hart: Nutritionist on the three-decade surge in ultra-processed food consumption in New Zealand

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/67c82b36-fb4b-43e3-8e19-b412016eaf3f/transcript

Yesterday’s “disappointing” GDP data gives the Reserve Bank more scope to delay a hike to the Official Cash Rate, ANZ senior economist Matthew Gault says. 

The RBNZ’s next monetary policy review announcement is on April 8. It had been picking 0.5% GDP growth for the December quarter, but GDP rose just 0.2%. 

Gault told Ryan Bridge ANZ had expected the Bank to be reasonably cautious about the oil price shock compared to other central banks. 

“Definitely inflation will rise with oil prices going up as much as they have. But the real concern for the Reserve Bank will be whether that increase in oil prices spills over into generalized inflation, things like wages and other prices. 

“And with the economy in a relatively weak state, we think they'll be less worried about that than places like Australia where the economy is firing more strongly.” 

Gault said the Government was being “sensible” not to push inflation higher with fiscal stimulus in response to oil prices. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Yesterday’s “disappointing” GDP data gives the Reserve Bank more scope to delay a hike to the Official Cash Rate, ANZ senior economist Matthew Gault says.&nbsp;
The RBNZ’s next monetary policy review announcement is on April 8. It had been picking 0.5% GDP growth for the December quarter, but GDP rose just 0.2%.&nbsp;
Gault told Ryan Bridge ANZ had expected the Bank to be reasonably cautious about the oil price shock compared to other central banks.&nbsp;
“Definitely inflation will rise with oil prices going up as much as they have. But the real concern for the Reserve Bank will be whether that increase in oil prices spills over into generalized inflation, things like wages and other prices.&nbsp;
“And with the economy in a relatively weak state, we think they'll be less worried about that than places like Australia where the economy is firing more strongly.”&nbsp;
Gault said the Government was being “sensible” not to push inflation higher with fiscal stimulus in response to oil prices.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Matt Gault: ANZ Senior Economist on the Q4 GDP result

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4a53d8db-72c0-4f12-9788-b412011efad5/transcript

Andrew Hoggard: Associate Agriculture Minister on the Save our Sheep campaign, impact of carbon farming

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