Organic dairy co-op files for liquidation
A co-operative touted as New Zealand's only 100% farmer-owned organic milk producer has gone bust.
Ranked sixth in importance by industry leaders is the need to develop future leaders.
KPMG’s Ian Proudfoot says the primary sector needs people from a diverse range of backgrounds – including app developers and consumer experience experts, as much as scientists and farm labourers. “There is no silver bullet for attracting people into a primary sector career given the low profile the industry has in schools and the historic perceptions of those who influence career choices.
“The recurring theme of our discussions was that the issue is too big for any single organisation to address [by itself].
“There is an urgent need for a well-designed, carefully messaged and widely communicated pan-industry career awareness initiative. It must explain what the primary sector is, what it produces, who it sells to and what it contributes to New Zealand. It must be clear that the industry offers a huge diversity of career options – jobs that require many different skills, with ambition and a desire to succeed as the only common attributes.”
Proudfoot says any strategy must lift the engagement with schools and universities, especially in cities where young people gain only limited insight into the primary sector and are presented with few obvious pathways into careers.
He says sector leaders need to get into schools and tell students their career stories, and companies need to support teachers to incorporate primary sector themes into the curriculum. School camps need to become farm stay experiences, and urban farms developed to enable every kid to gain industry awareness.
Farmer-led charity, Meat the Need is calling for donations to enable it to supply more meals to families in need.
Weaker pricing and demand from China continue to impact New Zealand red meat export earnings.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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