OSPRI writes off $17m over botched traceability system
Animal disease management agency OSPRI has written off nearly $17 million after a botched attempt to launch a new integrated animal disease management and traceability system.
DairyNZ says the decision to allow an extra 500 international workers to help on dairy farms will help with the present shortage - estimated to be 4,000 workers.
Chief executive Tim Mackle says his organisation has been working hard to ensure the Government understands the huge pressure farmers are under due to workforce shortages.
"We have pushed for 1,500 international dairy workers to be allowed into the country in time for the 2022 dairy season on 1 June," he told Rural News. "We made it clear to government that the 300 dairy border class workers previously approved was nowhere near enough to meet the demands on-farm."
Federated Farmers' Chris Lewis says while the announcement is good, he warns that getting labour from overseas is no silver bullet for the industry. He says recruiting staff from overseas is not the first cab off the rank.
"There is a lot of paperwork back and forth to get staff from overseas and it can take between four and six weeks for Filipinos to get a medical in their country," he told Rural News. "It's the same in a lot of other countries, including NZ. You may spend between $70k and $80k to get a worker. For many farmers it's the route of desperation."
Lewis says the other challenge in recruiting Filipino workers is the attractive options across the ditch in Australia. He points to the fact that many of the wives and partners of Filipino workers are employed in the healthcare sector and the pay is much better in Australia.
He says while the cash may be better in Australia the actual working conditions on farms in NZ are better and he says we need to do more to highlight these.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
OPINION: Hats off to our pipfruit sector.
OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…
OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…