Dairy farmers urged to participate in 2026 Levy vote
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.
It has re-launched a campaign to encourage Kiwis to consider a career in dairy.
The refreshed GoDairy campaign, as part of a long-term programme, will promote dairy as a career of choice and the opportunity to work in a sector helping grow New Zealand’s economy.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says the campaign is focused on supporting the sector’s ambition to attract Kiwi workers to the dairy sector, as part of working toward resolving long-term workforce challenges.
“Our sector has a great story to tell, including the lifestyle and opportunities, and this campaign provides the chance to showcase our sector,” says Mackle.
“We want to attract more Kiwi workers to the sector, where we provide personal and career growth, a lifestyle, and a great community.”
The GoDairy programme has a history of recruiting and supporting people into dairy careers, for more than 10 years.
The relaunched campaign is one component of the long-term GoDairy programme and is designed to encourage people to consider a career in dairy and learn about the range of options on offer.
It aims to create awareness of job opportunities in the dairy sector, including the skills people learn, the benefits of working in dairy, and what living and working in a rural community is like. Information on the range of career options is available on the redesigned GoDairy website.
“We are concerned about the current situation where many dairy farmers are struggling to employ the staff they need on farm,” says Mackle.
“This initiative will work towards resolving our long-term workforce challenges, by continuing to attract and employ capable New Zealanders who want to work in dairy.”
The dairy sector claims to offer among the best wages in the agriculture sector, with entry positions starting from $48,000/year, while farm managers can earn upwards of $78,000/year.
