This episode features Mike Butterick, Minister for Land Information, Associate Ag Minister discussing his new Organics portfolio, Crown land reform, carbon forestry and balancing productive farming with environmental expectations and export branding.


CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/ on how to watch / listen.

This episode features Mike Butterick, Minister for Land Information, Associate Ag Minister discussing his new Organics portfolio, Crown land reform, carbon forestry and balancing productive farming with environmental expectations and export branding.
 CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson &amp; Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit <a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/">https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/</a> on how to watch / listen.

CountryWide CONNECT is the latest innovative daily livestreamed rural video/radio show broadcast at lunchtime 11am – 1pm Monday-Friday from Christchurch, New Zealand.


The show is hosted by respected award-winning agribusiness broadcasters, Sarah Perriam-Lampp (formerly Sarah’s Country & Rural Exchange) and Andy Thompson (formerly The Rural Round-Up).


Over two hours, Sarah & Andy cover the latest in New Zealand rural news, views, politics but most importantly in-depth technical farming advice to help improve farmers bottom lines!

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

CountryWide CONNECT is the latest innovative daily livestreamed rural video/radio show broadcast at lunchtime 11am &ndash; 1pm Monday-Friday from Christchurch, New Zealand.
 The show is hosted by respected award-winning agribusiness broadcasters, Sarah Perriam-Lampp (formerly Sarah&rsquo;s Country &amp; Rural Exchange) and Andy Thompson (formerly The Rural Round-Up).
 Over two hours, Sarah &amp; Andy cover the latest in New Zealand rural news, views, politics but most importantly in-depth technical farming advice to help improve farmers bottom lines!
For more information &amp; to subscribe to CountryWide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz

CountryWide CONNECT

From farm to the cabinet table: Organics, land reform, and rural NZ’s future // Mike Butterick, Minister for Land Information, Associate Ag Minister

Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards celebrate red meat excellence


New Zealand Farm Assurance programme appoints new chair


EPA proposes restricting common crop insecticide

Rural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp - our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.

 

Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards celebrate red meat excellence

The best of New Zealand's red meat sector was recognised at a gala dinner in Christchurch last night, with eight awards presented across science, innovation, farming and community contribution.

More than four-hundred people gathered at Te Pae Convention Centre for the Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards. Among the standout winners, Tairāwhiti Whenua Charitable Trust took the Gallagher Innovative Farming Award for its Māori-led collective impact model, uniting more than eight-hundred-thousand hectares of whenua across Te Tairāwhiti in response to Cyclone Gabrielle's devastation.

Wellington operation Conscious Valley, farming eight kilometres from the CBD and supplying top city restaurants, won the PGG Wrightson Market Leader Award, while Dr Stewart Ledgard took the Alliance Significant Contribution Award for pioneering work on pastoral farming's environmental footprint.

The Rabobank People Development Award went to Lone Star Farms — and we'll hear more about that later this hour. Matt Smith from Lone Star Farms joins us just before 1 on CountryWide Connect

 

New Zealand Farm Assurance programme appoints new chair

New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated has appointed Craig Hattle as its new board chair, replacing outgoing chair Nick Beeby.

Hattle brings more than twenty years of executive and governance experience across agribusiness, sustainability and technical services, including sixteen years as a technical expert for the agricultural and horticulture GlobalG.A.P programme through the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand.

Outgoing chair Nick Beeby says Hattle's deep sector knowledge and proven leadership in business transformation and risk management made him a stand-out appointment.

Beeby is acknowledged for steering the organisation through a period of growth, strengthening governance and deepening stakeholder relationships. Hattle says NZFAI is well-placed for its next phase as a leading independent international farm assurance programme for New Zealand meat and wool.

 

EPA proposes restricting common crop insecticide

Kiwifruit, squash, brassica and tomato growers are among those being asked to have their say on a proposal to restrict the use of bifenthrin, a widely used insecticide, over environmental concerns.

The Environmental Protection Authority is proposing to prohibit bifenthrin from being applied by wide-dispersive methods such as boom sprayers and airblast sprayers, after modelling identified serious risks to fish, aquatic invertebrates, bees and birds when spray drifts into waterways.

Acting Hazardous Substances Applications Manager Dr Shaun Presow says the EPA is not looking to restrict non-agricultural uses, which modelling shows pose significantly lower environmental risks.

The EPA says alternative insecticides are available to replace most agricultural applications of bifenthrin.

Submissions are open from today until July twenty-first.

<ul>
<li>
Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards celebrate red meat excellence
</li>
<li>
New Zealand Farm Assurance programme appoints new chair
</li>
<li>
EPA proposes restricting common crop insecticide
</li>
</ul>
Rural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson &amp; Sarah Perriam-Lampp - our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.
&nbsp;
Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards celebrate red meat excellence
The best of New Zealand's red meat sector was recognised at a gala dinner in Christchurch last night, with eight awards presented across science, innovation, farming and community contribution.
More than four-hundred people gathered at Te Pae Convention Centre for the Beef and Lamb New Zealand Awards. Among the standout winners, Tairāwhiti Whenua Charitable Trust took the Gallagher Innovative Farming Award for its Māori-led collective impact model, uniting more than eight-hundred-thousand hectares of whenua across Te Tairāwhiti in response to Cyclone Gabrielle's devastation.
Wellington operation Conscious Valley, farming eight kilometres from the CBD and supplying top city restaurants, won the PGG Wrightson Market Leader Award, while Dr Stewart Ledgard took the Alliance Significant Contribution Award for pioneering work on pastoral farming's environmental footprint.
The Rabobank People Development Award went to Lone Star Farms &mdash; and we'll hear more about that later this hour. Matt Smith from Lone Star Farms joins us just before 1 on CountryWide Connect
&nbsp;
New Zealand Farm Assurance programme appoints new chair
New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated has appointed Craig Hattle as its new board chair, replacing outgoing chair Nick Beeby.
Hattle brings more than twenty years of executive and governance experience across agribusiness, sustainability and technical services, including sixteen years as a technical expert for the agricultural and horticulture GlobalG.A.P programme through the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand.
Outgoing chair Nick Beeby says Hattle's deep sector knowledge and proven leadership in business transformation and risk management made him a stand-out appointment.
Beeby is acknowledged for steering the organisation through a period of growth, strengthening governance and deepening stakeholder relationships. Hattle says NZFAI is well-placed for its next phase as a leading independent international farm assurance programme for New Zealand meat and wool.
&nbsp;
EPA proposes restricting common crop insecticide
Kiwifruit, squash, brassica and tomato growers are among those being asked to have their say on a proposal to restrict the use of bifenthrin, a widely used insecticide, over environmental concerns.
The Environmental Protection Authority is proposing to prohibit bifenthrin from being applied by wide-dispersive methods such as boom sprayers and airblast sprayers, after modelling identified serious risks to fish, aquatic invertebrates, bees and birds when spray drifts into waterways.
Acting Hazardous Substances Applications Manager Dr Shaun Presow says the EPA is not looking to restrict non-agricultural uses, which modelling shows pose significantly lower environmental risks.
The EPA says alternative insecticides are available to replace most agricultural applications of bifenthrin.
Submissions are open from today until July twenty-first.

21st May 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

CountryWide Connect - Full Show Summary

At 12:48pm we finish the show with Matt Smith from Lone Star Farms, fresh off winning the Rabobank People Development Award at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, discussing how a large-scale corporate farming business can still maintain family farm culture, the importance of staff development, and how genetics and AI are helping future-proof beef farming in tough Central Otago conditions.

At 12:33pm we head to our Bayleys Real Estate segment with Ben Turner from Bayleys Canterbury, discussing what is continuing to drive Canterbury dairy land values, who is still buying, and where confidence currently sits in the rural property market.

At 12:18pm Ivan Lawrie from FAR joins us to discuss the surprising reality that roughly 75 percent of New Zealand’s bread wheat is imported, the launch of the NZ Grown Grains certification mark, and why consumers may need to start asking where their toast actually comes from.

At 12:05pm we catch up with Hamish Best from Conscious Valley, fresh off winning the PGG Wrightson Market Leader Award at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, discussing premium direct-to-consumer meat marketing, drought resilience, lucerne development and farming just minutes from Wellington city.

At 12pm we have the Farmlands Rural News update.

At 11:48am Corina Jordan from the Game Animal Council joins us to discuss Game Changer NZ, the new initiative helping hunters, processors and foodbanks work together to get wild game meat onto the tables of Kiwi families facing food insecurity.

At 11:33am Jack Taggart joins us after dominating the Aorangi FMG Young Farmer regional final, discussing Grand Final preparation, modern dairy farming, irrigation technology and the changing skillset needed for the next generation of young farmers.

At 11:18am we play our pre-recorded interview with Mike Butterick discussing his new Organics portfolio, Crown land reform, carbon forestry and balancing productive farming with environmental expectations and export branding.

And at 11:05am we open the show with Chris Gourley from Fern Energy discussing diesel prices surging beyond $4 a litre, panic buying, pressure on rural fuel logistics and what farmers should expect heading into winter.

CountryWide Connect - Full Show Summary
At 12:48pm we finish the show with Matt Smith from Lone Star Farms, fresh off winning the Rabobank People Development Award at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, discussing how a large-scale corporate farming business can still maintain family farm culture, the importance of staff development, and how genetics and AI are helping future-proof beef farming in tough Central Otago conditions.
At 12:33pm we head to our Bayleys Real Estate segment with Ben Turner from Bayleys Canterbury, discussing what is continuing to drive Canterbury dairy land values, who is still buying, and where confidence currently sits in the rural property market.
At 12:18pm Ivan Lawrie from FAR joins us to discuss the surprising reality that roughly 75 percent of New Zealand&rsquo;s bread wheat is imported, the launch of the NZ Grown Grains certification mark, and why consumers may need to start asking where their toast actually comes from.
At 12:05pm we catch up with Hamish Best from Conscious Valley, fresh off winning the PGG Wrightson Market Leader Award at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, discussing premium direct-to-consumer meat marketing, drought resilience, lucerne development and farming just minutes from Wellington city.
At 12pm we have the Farmlands Rural News update.
At 11:48am Corina Jordan from the Game Animal Council joins us to discuss Game Changer NZ, the new initiative helping hunters, processors and foodbanks work together to get wild game meat onto the tables of Kiwi families facing food insecurity.
At 11:33am Jack Taggart joins us after dominating the Aorangi FMG Young Farmer regional final, discussing Grand Final preparation, modern dairy farming, irrigation technology and the changing skillset needed for the next generation of young farmers.
At 11:18am we play our pre-recorded interview with Mike Butterick discussing his new Organics portfolio, Crown land reform, carbon forestry and balancing productive farming with environmental expectations and export branding.
And at 11:05am we open the show with Chris Gourley from Fern Energy discussing diesel prices surging beyond $4 a litre, panic buying, pressure on rural fuel logistics and what farmers should expect heading into winter.

FULL SHOW - 21st May 2026

This episode featured as part of the Real Estate segment in partnership with Bayleys Country - your rural and lifestyle property specialists. 

This episode features Ben Turner, Country Sales, Bayleys Canterbury discussing what is continuing to drive Canterbury dairy land values, who is still buying, and where confidence currently sits in the rural property market.


CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/ on how to watch / listen.

This episode featured as part of the Real Estate segment in partnership with Bayleys Country - your rural and lifestyle property specialists. To learn more about rural and lifestyle property opportunities, or to connect with a local expert, visit bayleys.co.nz/country.

This episode featured as part of the Real Estate segment in partnership with Bayleys Country - your rural and lifestyle property specialists. 
This episode features Ben Turner, Country Sales, Bayleys Canterbury discussing what is continuing to drive Canterbury dairy land values, who is still buying, and where confidence currently sits in the rural property market.
 CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson &amp; Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit <a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/">https://country-wide.co.nz/connect/</a> on how to watch / listen.
This episode featured as part of the Real Estate segment in partnership with Bayleys Country - your rural and lifestyle property specialists. To learn more about rural and lifestyle property opportunities, or to connect with a local expert, visit <a href="http://bayleys.co.nz/country">bayleys.co.nz/country</a>.

From farm to the cabinet table: Organics, land reform, and rural NZ’s future // Mike Butterick, Minister for Land Information, Associate Ag Minister

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