M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
A $3.5 million programme aimed at helping Covid-19 affected workers into farming careers, has been launched.
The 2020 GoDairy campaign was announced, today, by DairyNZ – in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry for Social Development (MSD), and with support from Federated Farmers.
“We know that people have lost their jobs because of Covid-19, and we know there is significant and urgent demand for trained workers in the dairy sector,” says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.
“We want to continue to connect people with jobs in dairy, and more broadly in the primary industries because we know these sectors will be key to our economic recovery.
“GoDairy has a crucial role to play. The Government and the sector are giving it a welcome boost to encourage new-found farmers, by investing $3.5 million to expand this crucial work during our economic recovery,” O’Connor says.
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says while the new campaign is still in its early days, there is good interest from people wanting to pursue a dairy farming career.
“Like all successful businesses, dairy farming needs good talent. Currently there are 1,000 job vacancies on dairy farms nationwide,” says Mackle.
“There are excellent career opportunities in farming – from doing the books, to working with machinery, caring for animals, and managing staff. Technology plays a major part in the business too.”
O’Connor says GoDairy’s training module will be available to other primary industry sectors outside of dairy to adapt – such as beef, lamb and horticulture.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
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