Christmas gift for farmers
The repeal of Fair Pay Agreements (FPA) legislation by the new Government will be a great Christmas gift for farmers and rural service businesses, claims Federated Farmers.
Farmers are being warned that the proposed fair pay agreements (FPAs) could cause upheaval in the agriculture sector.
Business NZ chief executive Kirk Hope claims the Government will target all sectors with FPAs.
He wants the agriculture sector to join its campaign 'Your Work, Your Way' in opposing the final FPAs regulations passing in Parliament.
Hope told Rural News that the proposed legislation means an FPA will become compulsory once either 10% of the sector workforce or 1000 workers are signed up.
"For the farming sector, say each farm has five workers it will be relatively easy for organisers to reach 1,000 workers.
"It may take a little bit of organising but there are unions and groups who have started mobilising workers to join FPAs."
But Hope points out that the legislation to pass in Parliament soon will let FPAs apply to just about any sector, including the farming sector.
"So, it could certainly be forced on the entire farming sector."
Hope says collective bargaining is currently almost unknown in the farm sector.
"Not being bogged down in collective bargaining has helped contribute to NZ farming's great economic success. It would be a tragedy if a FPA was unleashed on the farming sector."
On the eve of his departure from Federated Farmers board, Richard McIntyre is thanking farmers for their support and words of encouragement during his stint as a farmer advocate.
A project reducing strains and sprains on farm has won the Innovation category in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2025.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other sector organisations, has launched a national survey to understand better the impact of facial eczema (FE) on farmers.
One of New Zealand's latest and largest agrivoltaics farm Te Herenga o Te Rā is delivering clean renewable energy while preserving the land's agricultural value for sheep grazing under the modules.
Global food company Nestle’s chair Paul Bulcke will step down at its next annual meeting in April 2026.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
OPINION: ACT MP Mark Cameron isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he certainly calls it how he sees it, holding…
OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?