increase font size
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor.
OPINION: The message was clear to Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and other government ministers seated at the main table at this month’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
The Government isn’t doing enough for the dairy industry, in particular for the hard working migrant workers.
Not only has the Government rejected an industry request for 500 more migrant workers, its treatment of migrants who are already in New Zealand is appalling.
Judges for this year’s awards were impressed by the diverse make-up of the finalists: there were Kiwis, Argentineans, Sri Lankans, Indians and Filipinos.
However, dairy manager head judge Malcolm Scott from Westpac highlighted the predicament faced by some migrant workers in NZ.
“Some of these immigrants in the dairy industry are still on work visas and have been waiting for some time to get their residency tidied up. Because of the current government inaction, it’s been held up and isn’t happening.
“These people are ready to take the next step in their careers, they have contracts ready to sign, but can’t move forward in their careers because they are still on work visas and are waiting and waiting for their residency to come through. It defies logic.”
DairyNZ is pleading with the Government to urgently fast-track residency applications for those migrant workers on dairy farms who want to become New Zealanders, and already qualify to meet residency criteria.
“Our migrant staff are extremely valued by the sector. We are concerned that the delays are forcing them to look to other countries who can offer a more certain future,” says DairyNZ.
The recent joint DairyNZ-Federated Farmers labour survey emphasised that farmers are short staffed, with 49% of respondents stating they are currently short staffed and 58% of them experiencing increased stress levels.
For farmers, staff are their biggest asset, so they need to look after them. As a sector, it is striving to offer competitive packages and value the importance of a great workplace culture.
With the new season starting next week, many farmers are a limbo about staff. Some have real concerns for the new season, including animal welfare, farmers working longer hours, increased stress and mental wellbeing issues. The Government, having praised the dairy sector for its resilience during the Covid pandemic, is now seen to be leaving the sector and dairy farmers hung out to dry.
OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
OPINION: Farmers are rightly urging the Government to relax the rules around KiwiSaver and allow young farmers to use their savings towards purchasing either a house, cows or a farm.
OPINION: Over the past 25 years growing wine, Jonathan Hamlet has seen "a massive evolution" in the care taken in vineyards.
OPINION: Foreign policy is a real strength of Winston Peter and this is recognised by Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials who, so the story goes, wanted him in his present role because of his experience in that field.
OPINION: People have criticised Christopher Luxon for the time he’s taken to appoint a new chief science advisor.
Fieldays 2025 opens this week with organisers saying the theme, 'Your Place', highlights the impact the event has on agriculture both in the Southern Hemisphere and across the globe.
Sam Carter, assistant manager for T&G's Pakowhai Sector, has been named the Hawke's Bay 2025 Young Grower of the Year.
The CEO of Apples and Pears NZ, Karen Morrish, says the strategic focus of her organisation is to improve grower returns.
A significant breakthrough in understanding facial eczema (FE) in livestock brings New Zealand closer to reducing the disease’s devastating impact on farmers, animals, and rural communities.
Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.
OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.
OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…
