FEDSVoice: All Your Rural Listening In One Place

Listen in for all the latest farming news and views - and voice your own thoughts.

That’s what’s on offer from the newly-updated Federated Farmers mobile phone app and website FEDSVoice.

The app enables farmers and growers to tap into audio recordings and podcasts from Federated Farmers, feeds from top country radio shows from around the world such as American Ag Today and the BBC, as well as a wide range of New Zealand farming shows and podcasts.

"What’s more, FEDSVoice enables farmers and growers to record their own thoughts on hot topics of the day, and we can use the best of that audio to share to a wider audience," Federated Farmers CEO Terry Copeland says.

"It’s a sort of agriculture-focused talkback, you could say."

While Federated Farmers has other communications platforms, including its own monthly newspaper, a weekly E-newsletter and targeted emails, busy farmers and growers are much more often out and about than in front of their computers.

"On the FEDSVoice app, farmers, family members and staff can line up playlists of reliable and interesting information to listen to while they’re ploughing fields, milking cows or cooking dinner.

"And if they want to react, instead of needing to type, they can just tap and talk to contribute their thoughts and knowledge," Terry says.

FEDSVoice was launched last year but substantial improvements to the app have just been finalised. Existing users just need to click an ‘update’ button, and others can download the app on Android and Apple platforms.

Regular content includes the Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard’s 5@5 (five quickfire topics in five minutes), CEO Terry Copeland’s ‘Weekly Update’ and National Manager General Policy Nick Clark’s ‘Economic Week’.

"The aim is to continue building on the range of content, including experts in their field offering their insights and farmers themselves connecting with their peers, sharing information, best practices and supporting one another," Terry says.

- For a guide on updating or downloading the app, and a manual on its advanced features, go to the website www.fedsnews.co.nz and click the Download FEDSVoice tab at the top.

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