Tuesday, 07 April 2020 10:33

COVID-19: Trying to sort out Gypsy Day 

Written by  Peter Burke
Richard McIntyre. Richard McIntyre.

Federated Farmers, MPI, FMG and DairyNZ are all busy this week trying to work out how best to manage Gypsy Day.

The day, on June 1, is when share milkers, contract milkers and staff traditionally move to new properties.

Chairman of Feds sharemilkers section, Richard McIntyre says Gypsy Day is a complicated enough day – without the added problem of COVID-19.

He’s been getting numerous phone calls from sharemilkers concerned about how the day will run. 

McIntyre says part of the problem is that no one knows what Alert Level will be in place on that day.

The group working on the project are having to come up with a range of solutions to meet some unknown eventualities. McIntyre says it is not just the physical moving of people and animals to new farms, but also the associated paperwork and the checking that previous contractual arrangements have been met.

McIntyre says the aim is get an agreement that causes the least disruption but also meets the COVID-19 requirements.

More like this

Rural backlash over plan to cut police staffing

Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Bex Green says two public meetings held this week should have made it loud and clear that rural families and businesses are concerned about proposed staffing changes at NZ Police.

Editorial: Getting RMA settings right

OPINION: The Government has been seeking industry feedback on its proposed amendments to a range of Resource Management Act (RMA) national direction instruments.

Farmers back Government pause on RMA plan changes

There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's move to put the brakes on local authorities to do any more work on planning changes ahead of major changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Featured

Editorial: We are Trumped

OPINION: Nothing it seems can be done in the short term to get Donald Trump to change his mind about removing the unfair 15% tariffs that he’s imposed on New Zealand exports to the US.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fatberg

OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.

Synlait snag

OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait's recovery seems to have hit another snag.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter