Covid's urban/rural divide
According to a new study from the University of Otago, there was a visible rural/urban divide in Covid-19 vaccination rates.
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.
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
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Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
A step-by-step guide helping farmers through the process of creating a Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) has been launched by FarmIQ.