Flush the dunny on 2015, bring on 2016!

We've had cold, wet weather in some regions and hot, dry conditions in others – resulting in poor or little growth. Dairy prices came back hard from record highs, as did beef, and sheepmeat returns have remained static at best.

On a brighter note, we have seen the NZ dollar down against the greenback and the most recent GDT auction saw a much needed bump in prices. However, as this year draws to a close, most of us will – to paraphrase World Cup winning All Black coach Steve Hansen – like to "flush the dunny on it and move on" to 2016.

Meanwhile, late last month I had the privilege of attending Federated Farmers' annual conference on behalf of Rural Contractors NZ. As I said in my report to the conference: as the Feds does for farming, so RCNZ plays an important role as the leading advocate for rural contractors throughout the country.

A key issue in recent years for the rural contracting sector – and the wider agriculture industry – has been the ability to attract young people to careers in the primary sector. During the past couple of years there has been significant media coverage of the efforts being made to try to encourage and attract young people into agriculture and horticulture.

RCNZ has continued to lobby government and immigration officials on the shortage of skilled machine operators in the rural contracting industry and this year we have made great progress.

Contractors registered with RCNZ will now be able to apply to bring in overseas workers under our umbrella, rather than go through all the hoops and hurdles they currently have to as individuals. This new scheme will see RCNZ applying for an approval in principle (AIP) on behalf of all contractors who will then be able to apply online for a visa for the person being recruited – without having to advertise, go to WINZ or any the other requirements now causing so much difficulty.

Another big issue for the agricultural sector, over the past year, has been health and safety.

Recent changes to the Health and Safety Act and the formation of WorkSafe NZ make it important that employers and employees know their rights and responsibilities in health and safety issues in the workplace.

As a sector we must get to grips with changes to health and safety regulations. Big changes are coming that will affect rural contractors and farming. The penalties for getting it wrong – should anyone suffer a major accident at their workplace – will be severe.

That's why RCNZ spends a good deal of time and resources on getting involved with and working alongside others to improve and enhance the safety of members and their staff. An example of this was the work RCNZ did – alongside Fed Farmers and others – with WorkSafe NZ to ensure the opinions of rural contractors were part of any new codes of practice being developed under the new Health and Safety Reform Bill for work done on and around farms.

Organisations like RCNZ and Federated Farmers work for the good of all our members and industry. That's why RCNZ will continue to foster and enhance its ties with Federated Farmers and further strengthen our mutually beneficial relationship.

As this will be my last column for the year, I wish all contractors and their families a safe, happy and prosperous festive season (since we are not allowed to use the word 'Christmas' anymore). Let's hope 2016 brings good weather, high commodity prices and plenty of rural contracting work.

• Wellsford agricultural contractor Steve Levet is the president of the Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).