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RCNZ chief executive Andrew Olsen.
When the new National-led government is finally formed there will be a long list waiting for it to action from the primary industries sector.
Farmer lobby Federated Farmers says if the new government is serious about restoring farmer confidence it will need to hit the ground running.
Feds says the new government needs to look at things like unworkable wetland rules, fertiliser caps, freshwater farm plans and the need for winter grazing resource consents.
"All these issues could be resolved quickly through simple amendments with immediate effects."
Rural Contractors NZ, the lobby group for the agricultural contracting sector, says it has already written to Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon asking that his incoming Government urgently remove job check requirements, which are causing delays on some visas.
RCNZ chief executive Andrew Olsen says his organisation wants changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) as part of any pre-Christmas legislative or regulatory changes.
"I spoke to Christopher Luxon on the campaign trail when he was in Wairarapa. I raised with him the concerns of rural contractors across the country about the unfair difficulties posed by the new AEWV," Olsen says.
"In short, it requires employers to show no New Zealander wants to fill a job. This drags out the process of recruiting an overseas resident for months, causing unnecessary stress and cost to our $2b industry supporting farmers."
Olsen says by contrast, anyone here on a Working Holiday Visitor visa can be turned around to gain Immigration clearance in a couple of days, without the job check pre-requisite. He is hopeful that dropping the job check requirement could be done in time for the maize season, which kicks off in February.
Meanwhile, Apples & Pears New Zealand is asking the new government to urgently review the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme.
Apples and Pears chief executive Karen Morrish wants changes to the scheme that she claims "would deliver phenomenal benefits". She believes these could be implemented in the first 100 days of National forming government.
Morrish is preparing a briefing paper for the incoming minister setting out some of the key issues in her sector that could benefit from government input.
She says the industry should be proud of the RSE scheme and while it works well after 15 years it's time to make improvements.
Morrish believes that a government review of the scheme is needed and would be welcomed by the industry.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
Dignitaries from all walks of life – the governor general, politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Todd McClay is encouraging farmers, growers, and foresters not to take unnecessary risks, asking that they heed weather warnings today.
With nearly two million underutilised dairy calves born annually and the beef price outlook strong, New Zealand’s opportunity to build a scalable dairy-beef system is now.
Graduates of a newly-updated Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) course are taking more value than ever from the programme, with some even walking away calling themselves the “farm CFO”.
Meet the Need, a farmer-led charity, says food insecurity in New Zealand is dire, with one in four children now living in a household experiencing food insecurity, according to Ministry of Health data.
Applications have now opened for the 2026 Meat Industry Association scholarships.
