Thursday, 07 March 2024 08:55

People Expo to discuss workforce trends

Written by  Staff Reporters
Guest speaker and economist Shamubeel Eaqub. Guest speaker and economist Shamubeel Eaqub.

DairyNZ's People Expo events are back.

A series of day-long events planned throughout the country this month is aimed at providing dairy farmers with unique opportunities to better understand workforce dynamics, and ideas on actions they can take to find and keep great people.

DairyNZ and Dairy Women’s Network are partnering to deliver events in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu- Whanganui and Southland regions.

DairyNZ lead advisor for people, Jane Muir, will be master of ceremonies (MC) for the events. She encourages farmers to join the People Expo events to hear about what is needed to tackle the big employment issues on farm.

“Supporting great workplaces and people on farm is critical. We want to support farmers with credible evidence and practical solutions that help them find and keep the staff they want,” says Muir.

“These People Expos are opportunities to connect with other farmers facing similar challenges, while guest speakers and workshops provide inspiration and practical tips you can apply with your farm team.

“I encourage farmers to attend, as I think everyone will take something positive away from these events that is directly applicable to their farm.”

A range of guest speakers headline the People Expos including Waikato dairy farm owners Sue and David Fish, focusing on their ethos of teamwork, and Chris Parsons, chief commercial officer of MyFarm, sharing his story of teamwork and leadership, in a varied career including time in the NZ Defence Force.

Guest speaker and economist Shamubeel Eaqub will discuss global, national, and regional economic and workforce changes and outline why farm businesses must act differently and look in new places to stay successful.

“The global and political backdrop for farmers is increasingly unpredictable, affecting interest rates, dairy price, and the input costs of critical things, like feed and fertiliser,” says Eaqub.

“This makes businesses and farming more unpredictable, and we cannot influence these things. However, we can influence how we lead and manage our businesses. Part of this is around our most important resource, our people, who are in short supply but demanded from every sector. I’m looking forward to sharing practical ways for us to think differently as leaders, and to act differently as a sector, along with having insightful discussions with farmers.”

The People Expos are free for dairy farmers and their team to attend.

Expo Details

Northland

Wednesday 13 March

9.30am - 2.30pm

Barge Park, Whangarei

 

Southland

Tuesday 19 March

9.30am - 2.30pm

Ascot Park, Invercargill

 

Manawatu-Whanganui

Tuesday 26 March

9.30am - 2.30pm

Bush Multisport Park, Pahiatua

 

Bay of Plenty

Wednesday 27 March

9.30am - 2.30pm

Millennium Hotel, Rotorua

 

Information and registration: dairynz.co.nz/people-expo

More like this

DairyNZ board sets new levy rate

DairyNZ has set a new levy rate of 4.5c/kgMS from 1 June 2025 and aims to keep the levy at no more than this rate for a minimum of three years.

Featured

Farmers urged not to be complacent about TB

New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.

Editorial: Making wool great again

OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.

National

Lame stories from a country vet

Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s…

Machinery & Products

Amazone extends hoe range

With many European manufacturers releasing mechanical weeding systems to counter the backlash around the use and possible banning of agrochemicals,…

Gong for NH dealers

New Holland dealers from around Australia and New Zealand came together last month for the Dealer of the Year Awards,…

A true Kiwi ingenuity

The King Cobra raingun continues to have a huge following in the New Zealand market and is also exported to…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Greenpeace a charity?

OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.

Synlait's back

OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter