Editorial: Sensible move
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
The Government has responded to a request from Federated Farmers and DairyNZ and extended temporary visas of migrant farmworkers.
Feds employment spokesman Chris Lewis says migrants make up a key group of the dairy farm workforce.
‘For many dairy farms these diligent and trained staff are vital for continued operation of their businesses and milk supply, especially when we have closed our borders to other workers coming in from overseas,” he says.
Federated Farmers and Dairy NZ last week wrote to the Minister of Immigration to ask the government to consider, as part of the response to COVID-19, extending the timeframe of temporary visas for those migrants already working in New Zealand.
Measures announced by the Government include:
• If a worker's temporary visa expires between 2 April and 9 July 2020, it will automatically be extended to late September 2020. This will be advised by email in early April.
• If the expiry date stated in a worker's visa is on or before 1 April 2020 they must apply for a visa online before their current visa expires. If they cannot provide information required by the online form, such as a new medical certificate, they should upload an explanation instead to complete their application. If a temporary worker applies for a visa online it is accepted automatically. This means after you apply, they will be granted an interim visa automatically when their current visa expires. An interim visa will allow them to remain lawfully in New Zealand for six months.
• People can find their visa expiry date in their eVisa letter.
The relevant information is available in the second part of this webpage.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.