Moves fall way short - RCNZ
Allowing only 125 skilled agricultural machinery operators into New Zealand next season falls way short of what's needed, says rural contractors.
Roger Parton, Rural Contractors, says the inconsistent weather all around the country is making sowing and harvesting difficult and work is piling up.
He knows of one contractor with 68 jobs waiting to be done but can't do them because of the weather.
"This situation is causing a huge amount of frustration to farmers and contractors alike. Contractors simply can't be in two places at once and everyone wants everything done all at once."
Parton says about 20 contractors have applied for exemptions or variations to the work time and rule book laws which would allow them to legally work longer hours.
"This situation highlights how dependent we are on the weather. The reality is that when the opportunity presents itself and the weather is right you just have to go and get the job done otherwise you're going to lose the crop altogether. It's a huge problem."
Some parts of the country have had little rain, others too much and there's been snow and high winds in other places, he says.
Some crops have gone in late and this may affect them in the long term, but again this depends on the weather.
Meanwhile, progress is being made with the Ministry of Transport to change a suite of rules and regulations relating to the agriculture sector, Parton says.
"The Agricultural Transport Forum, which includes Feds, is working with MOT and we hope to have a solution by early March. At that stage MOT will put these changes out for consultation which will involve holding three or four meetings in April."
Once this is done and some consensus is reached, MOT will set in train the necessary changes. These may include legislation, but more likely just rule changes or Orders in Council.
If all goes well, this could be done by the end of the year, the changes taking effect in April 2013.
