South Canterbury farmer Lesley Roy has taken more than 1,500 wallabies and 40 pigs off her farm this year – but despite that huge effort, the numbers are barely changing. With pigs destroying pasture and eating lambs, and wallabies continually damaging fences and fowling paddocks, Lesley says pest control has become an endless battle. And her experience highlights a much bigger problem facing farmers across New Zealand.

In this episode, Lesley and Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson Richard Dawkins discuss the scale of the pest problem, why farmers feel like they’re fighting the same battle year after year, and what needs to change if New Zealand is serious about getting on top of it.

See the Federated Farmers 2026 Pest Survey Report

South Canterbury farmer Lesley Roy has taken more than 1,500 wallabies and 40 pigs off her farm this year &ndash; but despite that huge effort, the numbers are barely changing. With pigs destroying pasture and eating lambs, and wallabies continually damaging fences and fowling paddocks, Lesley says pest control has become an endless battle. And her experience highlights a much bigger problem facing farmers across New Zealand.
In this episode, Lesley and Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson Richard Dawkins discuss the scale of the pest problem, why farmers feel like they&rsquo;re fighting the same battle year after year, and what needs to change if New Zealand is serious about getting on top of it. <a href="https://www.fedfarm.org.nz/Web/Web/Resources/National-Pests-Survey.aspx?hkey=4fe0cac6-4ae6-49a9-a072-cee49cb83e51">See the Federated Farmers 2026 Pest Survey Report</a>

The Federated Farmers Podcast is your weekly guide to the issues affecting rural New Zealand. Join us as we unpack the policies, challenges and big ideas shaping life on farm. With frank conversations from farmers, advocates and experts, we break down what matters and why, so you can stay informed, prepared and heard. 

Hosted by Ben Chapman-Smith, Federated Farmers' communications manager, who grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Te Akau on Waikato's west coast.  

The Federated Farmers Podcast is your weekly guide to the issues affecting rural New Zealand. Join us as we unpack the policies, challenges and big ideas shaping life on farm. With frank conversations from farmers, advocates and experts, we break down what matters and why, so you can stay informed, prepared and heard. Hosted by Ben Chapman-Smith, Federated Farmers' communications manager, who grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Te Akau on Waikato's west coast. &nbsp;

Federated Farmers Podcast

Why our pest problem is bigger than hunting | EP 105

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0355046e-742c-4a52-b39a-b4c401571d76/transcript