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North Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chairman Michael Woodward has signed up for the scheme.
A dairy apprenticeship scheme jointly developed by Federated Farmers and Primary ITO could have 100 apprentices nationwide by June.
Federated Farmers’ dairy section vice-chair, Wayne Langford, Golden Bay, said the scheme was launched in October after “a good year’s work” had gone into planning it.
After a quiet summer, they are now “getting back into” encouraging farmers and prospective apprentices to register. Almost 150 farmers and 120 apprentices are ready to go. Langford hopes to have about 100 paired-up and working by June.
“Then long term, potentially, we could get about 500 annually, working through the industry. That would be a positive result.”
Langford heads the working group overseeing the interests of the employers in the scheme.
He said farmers taking on apprentices must sign a farm charter, agreeing to payroll, health and safety, and other systems all up-to-date and up-to-scratch.
One farmer supporting the scheme and signed to take an apprentice is North Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chairman Michael Woodward.
He said fewer people are entering dairying, so the scheme is aimed at attracting motivated people and prompting farmers to become “employers of choice”.
“There’s a survey [employers] fill in and that will identify areas you need help with.
“Some employers may be great people but they just don’t know about current legislation because they either haven’t employed people or stuff has changed since they last employed people.
“It helps the people on both sides to get the skills they need to become better employees and better employers.”
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
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Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
OPINION: There could hardly be a more appropriate theme for a conference than the one chosen by the red meat sector - Navigating Volatility.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
