increase font size
The Government's decision to allow 500 more overseas dairy workers into the country is a step in the right direction.
OPINION: The Government's decision to allow 500 more overseas dairy workers into the country is a step in the right direction.
While this won't solve the sector's labour shortage nationally, many farmers will be breathing a sigh of relief.
However, past experience shows that the the Government's green light for more overseas workers doesn't quickly result in more workers landing on farms. The immigration process is cumbersome.
The challenge facing farmers is getting the overseas workers before calving starts in three months time.
Spring calving season kicks off in July in the Waikato and a month later down the country.
However, it may take workers from the Philippines up to six weeks to arrive in New Zealand and receive all the necessary medical checks and paperwork.
Federated Farmers is rightly concerned that administrative hold ups and bureaucracy would see some farmers unable to get workers on the ground in time for calving.
Many farmers may already have connections with workers overseas and getting those workers in will be easier. They must be agile and willing to make this happen super quick.
The labour shortage has been stressful for farmers and their staff over the past few years, thanks to border closures caused by the pandemic.
Many farmers have struggled to provide a competitive roster to prospective and current staff, leading to some managers and sharemilkers bailing out. The stress has been just too great to handle.
The Government had previously approved 300 foreign workers in dairying under an exceptions policy. However, DairyNZ pointed out that it was nowhere near enough to meet the demands on-farm and reduce the current high levels of farmer stress.
Last week's announcement added another 500 to that number. The workers need to be paid at least $28 an hour. DairyNZ has pushed for 1,500 international dairy workers to arrive in time for the 2022 dairy season on June 1.
The 500 extra workers will help reduce some of the pressure on farm teams. However, the sector will continue to advocate for more to be allowed into New Zealand to help address the significant staff shortage. New Zealand needs overseas workers. The Government has recognised this but a streamlined and easy immigration process will help farmers get these 500 overseas workers on farm quickly.
Let's hope Government bureaucracy doesn't throw a spanner in the works.
A huge reduction in ACC claims from on-farm accidents over the last five years is due to thousands of small, practical decisions being made in sheds, yards, paddocks and around kitchen tables across the country, says Safer Farms ambassador Lindy Nelson.
Certainty and a clear understanding of the needs of rural communities is a critical outcome in the series of government reforms that are taking place at present.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.
Red meat farmers are using higher farmgate returns to make their farms more resilient, says Federated Farmers meat and wool industry group chair Richard Dawkins.
Newly appointed Federated Farmers vice president Sandra Faulkner says she is honoured and excited to hold the role.
OPINION: Farmers are being put on notice by the Green Party.
As dairy farmers lock in plans for the upcoming mating season, a partnership between Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms has been formed with the aim of making it simpler to create additional value from calves not entering the replacement herd.
Farmers can now get a more reliable view of pasture covers across their farm, thanks to a combination of three data sources.
A warning to dairy farmers not to expect the same good conditions that they experienced last season, has been issued by a leading farm consultant.
South Waikato farmer Bas Nelis is always interested in fine-tuning his business to improve results.
On a farm in Tikorangi, North Taranaki, Brent Stevenson is sharemilking 1,400 cows.
OPINION: City and regional councils have been put on notice - stop using extreme climate forecasting scenarios that can drive…
OPINION: The Green Party’s rivers and oceans policy may have a new name but nothing else has changed.
