The big craze over how technology and AI will drive the next wave of productivity gains in farming isn’t slowing down. Off the back of Tony Leggett’s feature on improvements in tech in the Summer issue of Country-Wide, Rebecca Greaves and Sarah Perriam-Lampp discuss where the biggest opportunities lie, the barriers to adoption—particularly cost—and the importance of understanding the value behind tech investment.

Guests include:
Dani Darke, Nuffield Scholar and King Country sheep and beef farmer
Brendan O’Connell, CEO of AgritechNZ

Hosts:

- Rebecca Greaves, Editor, Country-Wide

- Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Managing Director, Country-Wide

King Country sheep and beef farmer Dani Darke has been awarded a 2025 Nuffield Scholarship. Her research will explore how future farmers will interact with digital tools. Dani discusses the potential for AI to improve productivity—especially for smaller, labour-constrained farms—and the importance of staying open-minded about innovation. Dani also shares her plans to explore global agricultural tech trends, from the U.S. arable sector to European developments, and how they might translate to New Zealand’s hill country farming.

 

Brendan O’Connell, CEO of AgriTech New Zealand, explores the challenges and opportunities in integrating technology into farming systems. He discusses the importance of data-driven decision-making, the barriers to technology adoption, and how AI is already transforming farm management and advisory services. Brendan also shares insights into how collaboration between farmers, investors, and policymakers is essential for unlocking productivity gains and ensuring New Zealand agriculture remains at the forefront of innovation.
Read Tony Legget’s feature here

Subscribe to Country-Wide magazine for $79/year for four seasonal magazines including free postage annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/ 

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The big craze over how technology and AI will drive the next wave of productivity gains in farming isn&rsquo;t slowing down. Off the back of Tony Leggett&rsquo;s feature on improvements in tech in the Summer issue of Country-Wide, Rebecca Greaves and Sarah Perriam-Lampp discuss where the biggest opportunities lie, the barriers to adoption&mdash;particularly cost&mdash;and the importance of understanding the value behind tech investment.
Guests include:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Dani Darke, <a href="https://ruralleaders.co.nz/nuffield-farming-scholarship/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAqrG9BhAVEiwAaPu5zpY4YsjrIr3uzZDgF3t521CPAzeBbWEedSK7tkFjl3x4sAYcntQ8MBoCMloQAvD_BwE">Nuffield </a>Scholar and King Country sheep and beef farmer</li>
<li aria-level="1">Brendan O&rsquo;Connell, CEO of <a href="https://agritechnz.org.nz/">AgritechNZ</a></li>
</ol>
Hosts:
- Rebecca Greaves, Editor, Country-Wide
- Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Managing Director, Country-Wide
King Country sheep and beef farmer Dani Darke has been awarded a 2025 Nuffield Scholarship. Her research will explore how future farmers will interact with digital tools. Dani discusses the potential for AI to improve productivity&mdash;especially for smaller, labour-constrained farms&mdash;and the importance of staying open-minded about innovation. Dani also shares her plans to explore global agricultural tech trends, from the U.S. arable sector to European developments, and how they might translate to New Zealand&rsquo;s hill country farming.
&nbsp;
Brendan O&rsquo;Connell, CEO of AgriTech New Zealand, explores the challenges and opportunities in integrating technology into farming systems. He discusses the importance of data-driven decision-making, the barriers to technology adoption, and how AI is already transforming farm management and advisory services. Brendan also shares insights into how collaboration between farmers, investors, and policymakers is essential for unlocking productivity gains and ensuring New Zealand agriculture remains at the forefront of innovation.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Read Tony Legget&rsquo;s feature <a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/the-digital-age-is-here/">here</a></li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Country-Wide magazine for $79/year for four seasonal magazines including free postage annually:<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/"> https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/sign-up/">SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE WEEKLY EMAIL</a>

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it’s time for our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.

Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with The CountryWide Podcast.

Hosts: Sarah Perriam-Lampp - CEO & Editor-in-Chief at CountryWide Media

For more information & to subscribe to CountryWide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it&rsquo;s time for our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.
Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with The CountryWide Podcast.
Hosts: Sarah Perriam-Lampp - CEO &amp; Editor-in-Chief at CountryWide Media
For more information &amp; to subscribe to CountryWide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz

The CountryWide Podcast

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it’s time for' our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.

Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with the CountryWide Podcast with Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

To subscribe to Country-Wide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz 

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it&rsquo;s time for' our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.
Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with the CountryWide Podcast with Editor-in-Chief,&nbsp;Sarah Perriam-Lampp.
To subscribe to Country-Wide, visit <a href="http://www.country-wide.co.nz">www.country-wide.co.nz</a>&nbsp;

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