ORC piling more regulation on farmers - Feds
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Moves by the Government to raise the wage threshold for migrant workers have some farmers up in arms.
Last week, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced that a new median wage of $29.66 per hour would be adopted into the immigration system from 27 February next year.
“The Government is focused on moving New Zealand to a higher wage economy, increasing the skill level of migrant workers, and encouraging employers to offer competitive wages and improve career pathways for New Zealanders,” Wood said.
“Updating the median wage thresholds regularly is necessary to ensure the Government is delivering on its immigration rebalance goals and that existing policy settings are maintained in line with market changes.”
However, Federated Farmers immigration spokesperson Richard McIntyre says the decision will hit everyone in the wallet.
He says the majority of new migrant farm staff are now being employed on the Accredited Employer Work Visa, which has an hourly rate of pay requirement tied to the median wage.
“Farmers are faced with paying almost $30 an hour for international staff needed to perform the basic tasks on farm,” McIntyre says.
He says all industries are struggling to find New Zealanders willing and able to do the job, but farm employers in rural areas have it tougher.
“Farmers need people in gumboots on the ground to put cups on cows and drive tractors so that they are able to focus on the more technical and management roles on farms.”
McIntyre says Federated Farmers has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development to deliver the ‘Get Kiwis on Farm programme’.
He says the programme means new workers get an industry standard employment contract and the correct gear so they can work safely and comfortably on farm.
“But it’s still not enough when there are thousands of agriculture work vacancies.
“Our concern is that never-ending wage increases will add additional costs not just to farm employers but also the downstream and upstream industries that service agriculture and businesses in the wider economy, driving up input costs and reinforcing a wage-price spiral that will drive inflation even higher,” McIntyre says.
The current wage threshold will be in place until the new median wage is incorporated in February 2023.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
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.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.
OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…