Tuesday, 22 June 2021 11:14

Learn from the Aussies

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: It seems the Australian Government has realised how serious the labour shortage issue for its agriculture sector.

A new agriculture-specific visa will be established between Australia and the United Kingdom, allowing people to work on farms in either country. Australian media reports say there will be no age restrictions on the visa although it is not clear yet how long the visas will be valid for or when it comes into place.

Aussie farmers have been lobbying for a specific visa to recruit more people to milk cows and harvest crops. However, despite NZ farmers lobbying hard for extra overseas workers, the NZ Government has only given border exemptions in dribs and drabs. Time they took a leaf out of the Aussie book.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

Open Country opens butter plant

When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Trump's tariffs

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports into the US is doing good things for global trade, according…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter