RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
With thousands of migrant visas set to expire, National’s ag spokesperson David Bennett is urging the Government to act quickly to avoid a potential labour shortage for the calving season.
“There are currently 588 migrants on level 1 essential skills visas and a further 2566 on level 5 essential skills visas that are set to expire between the beginning of July and the end of September,” says Bennett.
“This is only counting those currently employed on dairy farms. There are thousands more migrant workers facing visa expiries across New Zealand’s primary industries,”
Bennett says these migrant workers are invaluable and farmers need continuity of employment as they head into calving season.
He says dairy farmers need assurance from the Government that they won’t be left in the lurch.
“Many of these visas expire from the 9th of July so the Government needs to move quickly to provide dairy farmers assurance that they will not be facing a labour shortage during an already difficult season.
“Migrant workers are a valuable part of New Zealand’s dairy industry and the wider primary sector. The Government needs to support these workers and their employers.”
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.