Utilise Overseas Ag Interns
OPINION: Farmers have been clear: it is getting harder, not easier, to find and keep good people.
Some dairy farmers may have deserved the brickbat, most did not. But Kelly and her union mates are not the kind to let facts get in the way of a good story. So, well done those dairy farmers who got straight on the blower to the radio host to balance the record by recounting cases of excellent employment practice in the industry.
One example given was fairly common: a young guy with no experience but a good attitude found himself on $40k with a free house, milk, veges, meat and virtually no personal expenses, working a ten-on, two-off roster.
As usual, the dairy industry is working to knock into line those few farmers who are bad employers. And as usual, the unions persist in an adversarial approach that tars all farmers with the same brush.
