SWNZ Strengthens People Pillar for Global Markets
With ethical employment practices a "hot topic" in key markets, Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) is strengthening its People Pillar.
Union boss Helen Kelly has dairy farmers in her sights over pay rates and work conditions, naming and shaming a Taranaki cocky last week and going on Radio Live to lambast dairy farmers as poor employers.
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.
Oamaru-based livestock handling specialist Te Pari has bought Combi Clamp, the New Zealand manufacturer of Combi Clamp manual sheep handlers.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.