Bryan talks with JD Roussouw, head of vegetables research and development at Bayer Crop Science, in his only NZ interview, about how new genetic technologies are transforming seed production and how our strict regulations may hamper our ability to compete. 

Then, Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford outlines the results of the latest rural confidence survey, which paints a dismal picture of farmer sentiment. He says uncertainty over regulation, high interest rates and low farmgate returns are the cause.

And senior reporter Richard Rennie joins the studio to explain the fuss over plantain. A new scientific study suggests it’s not the nitrate busting weapon we thought it was. There are other species that could do the job for farmers here.

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